Pistachio & Strawberry Tartlets – Elegant French-Style Recipe with Confit and Pistachio Bavarois

These Pistachio & Strawberry Tartlets are a tribute to refined French pastry, combining sweet, nutty, and fruity notes in a stunning mini dessert. A buttery vanilla shortcrust tart holds layers of soft vanilla biscuit, a vibrant strawberry confit, and a delicate pistachio bavaroise, finished with a glossy neutral glaze and crushed pistachios.Perfect for summer gatherings, dinner parties, or an indulgent afternoon tea, these tartlets not only taste incredible but also look like something out of a pâtisserie window. Whether you're a seasoned pastry chef or a dessert enthusiast, this recipe is your invitation to create magic in the kitchen.With every bite, expect freshness, creaminess, and crunch – all in perfect harmony.

Ingredients

✳️ Vanilla Shortcrust Pastry

150 g cake flour low-gluten flour
20 g almond flour
90 g soft butter
60 g powdered sugar
35 g whole egg at room temperature
1.5 g salt
A pinch of powdered vanilla
For egg wash dorure:
20 g egg yolk
5 g fresh cream

✳️ Vanilla Biscuit

55 g full-fat plain yogurt
22 g granulated sugar
15 g dextrose or substitute with granulated sugar
22 g inverted sugar or acacia honey
55 g egg yolks
65 g cake flour
1.7 g baking powder
1 pinch of salt
30 g melted butter lukewarm
20 g fresh cream
Powdered vanilla

✳️ Strawberry Confit

245 g strawberry purée
30 g granulated sugar I
4 g pectin NH
25 g granulated sugar II

✳️ Pistachio Bavaroise

140 g crème anglaise see below
35 g pistachio paste
90 g whipping cream
2.9 g gelatin 200 bloom
15 g cold water for gelatin hydration

✳️ Crème Anglaise

130 g whole milk
65 g egg yolks
60 g granulated sugar

✳️ Neutral Glaze

160 g water
160 g granulated sugar
8 g gelatin 200 bloom
40 g cold water for gelatin hydration

✳️ Extras

Chopped pistachios
Pistachio nibs or granules
Mycryo cocoa butter optional

Instructions

Shortcrust Pastry

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine butter, powdered sugar, almond flour, and vanilla until sandy.
Add the lightly beaten egg and mix to combine.
Finally, incorporate the sifted flour and salt.
Mix only until the dough comes together.
Shape into a flat disk, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for 8 hours.
Next day, roll the dough to 2.5 mm thickness. Line six greased tart rings (7.5 cm diameter x 2 cm height).
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or freeze until needed.
Egg Wash (Dorure)
Mix the egg yolk with cream and set aside.
Baking the Tart Shells
Preheat oven to 160°C (fan-assisted).
Bake the tart shells for 14 minutes. Remove the rings and lightly cool.
Brush outer edges with egg wash and bake for another 4 minutes.
Dust with Mycryo cocoa butter or brush the inside with egg wash if Mycryo is unavailable.
Let cool completely.

Vanilla Biscuit

Preheat oven to 150°C (fan-assisted).
In a bowl, mix yogurt with both sugars, vanilla, and egg yolks.
Add sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix with a whisk.
Incorporate lukewarm melted butter and cream.
Pipe into a 20 cm square frame and bake for 20 minutes.
Cool, then cut six 6 cm discs with a cutter.

Strawberry Confit

Mix the second quantity of sugar with the pectin.
Heat strawberry purée with the first sugar to 50°C.
Add sugar/pectin mixture and stir.
Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Cool slightly, cover with cling film in contact, and refrigerate for at least 5 hours (preferably overnight).

Pistachio Bavaroise

Hydrate gelatin with water.
Make a crème anglaise: heat milk, yolks, and sugar to 82°C, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat, strain, weigh 140 g, and melt in the hydrated gelatin.
Add to pistachio paste and emulsify with an immersion blender.
Cool to 25–30°C, then fold in semi-whipped cream.
Pour into silicone molds or tart rings (7 cm x 2 cm).
Refrigerate, then freeze for 24 hours.

Neutral Glaze

Hydrate gelatin in water.
Boil water and sugar to 103°C.
Cool to 70°C, add melted gelatin and stir gently.
Let cool to 32°C before use.

🧩 Assembly

Soften the strawberry confit and pipe 20 g into each tart shell. Smooth the surface.
Place a biscuit disc on top and press gently.
Pipe 18 g of confit over the biscuit and smooth.
Refrigerate tartlets for 30 minutes.
Unmold frozen bavaroise domes, place on a rack, and glaze with neutral glaze at 32°C.
Place the domes on tartlets. Garnish tops with chopped pistachios and sides with pistachio nibs.

Notes

❄️ Serving

Refrigerate assembled tartlets for 2 hours to allow the bavaroise to thaw. Serve chilled.

🔖 Notes

Use fresh, sieved strawberry purée for best results.
If using Klassik Michalak tart rings (7 cm), cut biscuit with 5.5 cm cutter.
Bavaroise quantity is exact — no leftovers.