How to make a trendy cream tart recipe
How to make a trendy cream tart made with a crisp tart dough, sweet vanilla custard filling and topped with fresh berries, flowers, and french macarons!
Cream Tarts or Letter Cookies, Number cookies, cream cakes... they go by many names. But let's call this deliciously trendy dessert what it is. A tart.
I first noticed this trendy treat on an instagram creator @adikosh123 but soon learned it's a common amongst many bakers and we can see why! They are so pretty!
After much research (you know how I love researching a new project) I have devised what I think is the perfect cream tart recipe! Light, crunchy and easily changed up depending on the theme. Here's another I created during my LIVE demo with my daughter. Such a fun project to do with kids and I was seriously impressed with her piping skills.
Need the cream heart template? Download it here
Simply put, this yummy treat is made from a delicious short crust called Pate Sable (almond dough) which is commonly used in fruit tarts. The filling varies depending on the baker but most agree the most delicious is the traditional tart filling called diplomat or chantilly creme. One thing is for sure, no matter how you make one, this treat that first gained popularity in Israel is sure to be the next big thing in the US.
To make this cream tart is pretty easy. Check out my how-to video below for step-by-step instructions!
Recipe
Ingredients
Almond Sablé Dough
- 11 ounces All purpose flour
- 3 ounces almond flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 oz unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 ounces powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
Pastry Cream Filling
- 16 ounces milk
- 2.5 ounces granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ ounces cornstarch
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 2 ounces unsalted butter
- 2 ounces granulated sugar
Stabilized Whipped Cream
- 8 ounces heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoon powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon instant pudding mix (see stabilized whipped cream blog post for more options)
Instructions
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the AP flour, almond flour and salt.Put a paddle attachment onto your stand mixer, then combine butter and confectioner's sugar in mixer bowl. Mix on medium-low speed until combined, about 4 minutes.Mix in the egg and then the yolk, allowing each to be incorporated before adding the next. In 2 parts, add the flour mixtures, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each part.Turn bowl over with dough mixture onto a clean lightly-floured work surface. Divide in half, shape into flattened desks and wrap each 1 in plastic warp. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Roll out dough to ⅛" thick on parchment paper. Use a template to cut two shapes. Chill in the freezer 5 minutes.
- Bake tart dough at 350F for 10-14 minutes until just starting to brown. Don't underbake or your tart wont be crisp. Let cool
Pastry Cream Filling
- Bring milk and first quantity of sugar to a simmer over medium high heat. Whisking constantly to avoid burning.
- Combine the eggs, cornstarch, and second quantity of sugar in a heat proof bowl and whisk to combine
- Add ¼ of your hot milk mixture to the egg mixture VERY slowly while whisking constantly to temper your egg yolk mixture. Whisk until smooth.
- Slowly add the rest of the milk, whisking constantly. Return mixture to the saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Once your mixture starts bubbling, reduce the heat to medium and continue whisking for 2-3 minutes to ensure the mixture is cooked and properly thickened.
- Pour your mixture into a heatproof container and place your butter cubes on top, allowing them to melt. Do not cover.
- Allow your pastry cream to cool until just warm to the touch. Stir in your butter and then add in your vanilla extra.
- Cover with plastic wrap so that it's touching the surface of the pastry cream to avoid a skin forming. Let cool completely before using.
Stabilized Whipped Cream
- Whip heavy cream to soft peaks with a whisk or stand mixer
- Add in powdered sugar, vanilla and instant pudding (see blog post for other variations on how to stabilized whipped cream) Whip to firm but soft peaks. Don't over-whip.
- Fold together the cooled pastry cream and whipped cream to make your cream tart filling
Video
Nutrition
Pairing a cream tart with my delicious white cake recipe or a chocolate cake is a sure-fire win at your next party.
maria says
I dont have instant vainilla pudin with what can I replace it?
Tiffany says
Hi! How do you recommend transporting something like this and preventing movement inside for example, a cake box?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Place it on a non-skid mat 🙂
Kelly Rodriguez says
Do you have a chocolate version?
Shayla Johnson says
Use chocolate pudding
Elizabeth Felix says
Thank you for this Recipe and inspiration. I made this for family members birthday shaped in the letter "L". I couldn't find a template on line that was big enough so I used a wooden "L" I purchased from Michaels then traced onto parchment paper. The dough was easy to work with yet since I am such an amateur it took a bit to fit the "L" onto the dough so my tart was thinner is some spots which after decorating you couldn't tell. I also had difficulty placing the top tart on, it broke in two places, again, after decorations you wouldn't know but it did destabilize it a bit. The cream filling was tricky as well. The whipped cream part of it was fine, nice and thick, but when I added the pudding it made it too thin, maybe two cups is too much? I ended up making a second batch of whipped cream and added it little by little to the first batch, worked ok but next time I think I will make a Chantilly cream from scratch or use Mascarpone filling. The end result was beautiful and birthday partiers enjoyed both the presentation and taste. Thanks again for a wonderful recipe!!!
shayne.lundy says
hi if i make this a choc cake instead of a tart will the same filling hold n also do well in travelling thank u
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes the filling won't be affected at all but I recommend you use the joconde cake recipe and not a traditional cake or it will dry out
Rachael VanHouten says
I also had this problem. But I noticed in your video that your pudding is MUCH stiffer than mine. Did you make alterations to the box preparation? Could you tell me what brand you used?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I just used Jell-o Instant pudding mix, maybe add a little more gelatin to your whipped cream for stiffer filling
Leo says
How does this tart hold up to transport in hot humid weather?
Will definitely try this but sceptical about transporting.!?
Thanks
The Sugar Geek Show says
Just fine, it's not like a stacked cake 🙂
Emma says
How much confectioners sugar is required for the dough? I can’t see it in the ingredients but it says to mix the butter and sugar together.
Bernadette says
Hi There,
How long will this tart last outside of the fridge, I need to make one for delivery tomorrow but i need to assemble it tomorrow morning and it will be out of the fridge for a couple of hours, unitil i deliver it around lunch time, then put in the fridge for consumption the following day., it is currently winter where I am and my office is like a fridge so it will be kept cool, not AS cold as a fridge but it will certainly be cold. Can I do this will it be ok?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Will be totally ok!
Lisa P says
Another great receipe snd easy to follow!
Shania says
Hi, my cream keeps becoming very liquidy and runny. Do you have any tips or suggestions on how to avoid that?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Whip it until it's stiffer?
Amber Bee says
I'm excited to try this recipe, though I have one question: When added to the whipped cream, should the instant pudding be in powder form, or already prepared per instructions on the box? Thanks for sharing!
The Sugar Geek Show says
No the instant pudding is already made 🙂
Kelly Looby says
Hi, Love the website.... Gonna try make this as a retirement cake. Just one quick question?
I need it for mid - day tomorrow.... Will it hold if made and decorated this evening or would I be better doing it the day that I need it?
Thanks in advance
The Sugar Geek Show says
Definitely will hold up
Stefanie says
Liz, thanks so much for this recipe! Can the pastry cream be frozen by any chance? I have way too much left over and would love to use it over the weekend!
The Sugar Geek Show says
If it's just a few days you can store in the fridge. Good for up to a week
Padmini Gupta says
Hi,
I want to congratulate you on your wonderful website and also would like to add how extremely user friendly it is. I was going through the Cream tart recipe and got pretty excited in trying it out. However I have a few questions, would be very grateful if you could help
1) I have read that almond meal spreads on baking - would it alter the shape of the number cut out then?
2) Is there any substitute for egg in the recipe as we don’t eat egg
3) How long can we store the baked cutout tart before assembling as in what is the shelf life of the baked tart?
4) As you mentioned it can stay in the refrigerator ( the assembled cream tart) for 24 hrs... won’t it get soggy by the cream as finally it is a cookie?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Hi there, as you can see the cookie does not spread.
I don't have a substitution for egg in this recipe unfortunately
The recipe is not a cookie, its tart dough which does not get soggy.
Hope that helps!