How to Fill a Mini Tart Pan

Make perfectly filled mini tarts with a few simple tips

Mini tartlets can be tricky to make. The pastry can be too thick, and the filling can run over, creating stodgy, messy and unpleasant nibbles. The key to a good mini tart is filling the pan correctly -- first with the pastry and finally with the filling. Whether you are making sweet or savory tartlets or using homemade or store-bought dough, the key is to use chilled, wafer-thin dough and just the right amount of filling to ensure the perfect mini tartlets. Does this Spark an idea?

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3 ¼ inch diameter cookie cutter
Pastry
Oil or vegetable spray
Teaspoon
Rolling pin
Flour
Small muffin or tartlet pans 2 ½ inch diameter
Palette knife or fish slice
Teaspoon
Tart filling

Instructions

- 1
  
  Purchase or make your chosen pastry dough. Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours. The colder the pastry, the less likely it is to puff or go soggy during baking.
- 2
  
  Choose your mini tart pan or muffin cases. Spray or lightly grease with vegetable oil to ensure that the pastry does not stick to the casing.
- 3
  
  Lightly flour a surface and rolling pin. Roll out the prechilled dough as thinly as possible. Cut into circles using a cookie cutter or glass of an appropriate size.
- 4
  
  Carefully lift each pastry circle with a pallet knife or fish slice to avoid tearing. Lay each circle over the tartlet pan. Gently press in the pastry. Run a rolling pin over the cases to cut off any excess dough.
- 5
  
  Return the pastry-filled pans to the refrigerator and rechill for 2 hours.
- 6
  
  Fill the pastry lined pans with 1 1/2 tsp. of your filling of choice. Ensure that the mixture only half fills the tartlet.

Tips & Warnings

If using a nonstick pan such as a silicone tartlet pan or muffin tin, omit greasing the pans.
To avoid a soggy bottom in your tartlets, use a dark metal tin. Dark metal absorbs more heat, producing a crisper pastry.
If the pastry tears, patch using a strip of leftover dough firmly pressed into place to prevent the filling from leaking.