Fresh Fruit Phyllo Tartlettes

Fresh Fruit Phyllo Tartlettes

There are two things I had been meaning to do for quite some time. The first was to visit the Smart & Final store that I’ve lived close to for almost four years, but had never stepped inside. And the second was to experiment with phyllo pastry. The flaky, delicate dough has been on my list for a while and I’ve had plenty of recipes in mind!

And, okay, there’s a third thing here which was to share with you a spring inspired dessert with buttery light pastry, homemade vanilla pudding and my favorite fruits. Make way, chilly breeze, for a bunch of fresh and fun treats from my kitchen. In here, it’s springtime!

Phyllo Dough

When Smart & Final contacted me about joining a challenge to create an original recipe with one of their frozen products, I jumped at the chance. My local store was lovely, clean and bright (“like CostCo without the membership,” my husband and I agreed) and full of everything and more that you’d expect to find in a grocery store, but at less expensive prices.

I had never used phyllo dough before making these tartlettes, but I can tell you one thing: There’s no need to buy the prebaked phyllo cups because they’re easy as pie to make yourself! Just do like I did and brush the dough’s layers with melted butter, cut out rounds and pop ‘em into muffin pans. While they’re baking and then cooling, you can make your luscious, velvety vanilla pudding and prepare your favorite fruits for topping the mini tarts. I used sliced strawberries and kiwi, and a few plump blackberries.

Phyllo Fruit Tartlettes

The crisp phyllo shells filled with creamy, fragrant vanilla pudding and juicy summer fruits make these little tarts perfect for brunch, snacks or an after-dinner dessert. Try them once the warm weather hits to impress guests, add something special to a party, or simply to treat yourself!

Fresh Fruit Phyllo Tartlettes

Fresh Fruit Phyllo Tartlettes

Yield: 30 tartlettes (baked in a mini muffin pan)

Ingredients

Phyllo Cups:

  • 1 package frozen phyllo dough, 2 rolls, thawed
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter

Vanilla Pudding:

  • 2 1/2 cups milk, divided
  • Pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch 2 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon butter or margarine

To assemble the tarts:

  • Prepared phyllo cups
  • Prepared vanilla pudding
  • Fresh fruit, I used sliced strawberries and kiwis, and blackberries

Instructions

Phyllo Cups:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough out on a cutting board. Brush lightly with butter. Carefully lay another sheet of dough over the first and repeat with butter and remaining dough. Using a 2” round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out rounds and gently press, butter side down, into mini muffin pan cups.
  3. Place on the oven’s center rack. Remove the pan after it has baked for five minutes. Press the center down, carefully, if it is beginning to puff up. Place back in the oven and bake for five more minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Remember that the cups will continue to brown a bit as they cool. Transfer cups to a rack and cool completely.

Vanilla Pudding:

  1. Place 2 cups milk and salt in a saucepan. Sprinkle sugar on milk and do no stir; heat over medium-high. Quickly combine cornstarch with remaining milk; add egg yolks and mix well. When milk comes to a full boil, remove saucepan from the heat and stir in cornstarch mixture. Pudding will begin to thicken. Return to the heat and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and butter. Allow to cool completely.

To assemble the tarts:

  1. Spoon two teaspoons of the vanilla pudding into each cup, top with fruit and serve. The phyllo cups will remain crisp for about three hours at room temperature.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Join the Conversation

  1. What beautiful fruit tarts and so fresh and vibrant looking to welcome in Spring. Very elegant and beautifully done, Georgia.

    Smart & Final is a great place to shop with good prices. Our local one is kind of out of the way so I don’t shop there as often as I’d like. I do like my Costco though! ;)

  2. These fruit tarts are beautiful! What a great springtime dessert!

  3. Phyllo makes little treats like this so tasty. I love that you used fresh fruit for this. Delicious!

  4. These would be PERFECT for the bridal shower that I’m hosting for my sister later this spring! Yay! They are so pretty and dainty.

  5. What heavenly light summery little treats! You are so clever!
    :-) Mandy

  6. They closed the Smart & Final that was out here.. I was bummed. Very cool, though, that they contacted you and what fantastic looking tartlettes that came from that challenge! I could eat a lot of those… Seriously, a LOT!

  7. This looks great Georgia! I also joined the smart and final challenge – i haven’t posted my frozen treat yet but it’s so boring compared to yours!

  8. Georgia- these pastries look fantastic. They are so bright and cheery- perfect for spring. I want to try cooking with the phyllo dough too.

  9. Beautiful and so fresh looking- perfect for Spring. Love it!

  10. How very pretty and fresh!

  11. Anonymous says:

    Looking good! Did your min tart pans have a scalloped edge? Also how many layers of phyllo pastry did you use?
    Thanks C.

  12. No, just the act of pressing the dough down into the muffin pan creates waves along the edges a bit. I used about 8 layers of dough, but brushed only 4 with the melted butter. You can use less and they should turn out fine.

  13. Georgia, these tartlettes are exquisite! I’m definitely going to try these… what a delightful treat for spring!

  14. Hi there,

    What a fantastic recipe idea. Very springlike!

    On behalf of The Fillo Factory, I wanted to let you and your readers know that we make prepared fillo (phyllo) dough (also available in whole wheat and spelt), as well as those cute pre-made little phyllo cups (small and large), if you’re short on time. Please do check us out on Facebook for more on our product line, or follow us on Twitter (that’s how we found you!) if you’d like: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fillo-Factory/149065585157666 and http://www.twitter.com/FilloFactory. We look forward to reading more from you!

    Best wishes,
    The Fillo Factory

  15. Hi Georgia- Your tartlettes are so pretty! I love the filling and the fruit looks so vibrant and lovely. We don’t have those stores near us…now I’m curious to visit one:)

  16. I would love to try making these when my son is here. I have a Smart & Final store close to my house, I feel very lucky. Your pictures are beautiful. Thank you for sharing with us.

  17. These little phyllo tarts are so adorable! Perfect after a salad lunch. (or maybe off and on all day!)

  18. The phyllo tarts are looking gorgeous…. ! So cute and perfect to munch anytime, loved the fresh fruit filling and the idea of baking your own cups, too good !

  19. So beautiful!

  20. Georgia, thanks so much for your kind words about my blog. Your tarts look fantastic and I love the idea of not using the premade cups.

  21. I have been eagerly awaiting spring because of recipes like this :) They look delicious…and, as always, are gorgeously photographed!

  22. Gorgeous! I can’t wait until fresh fruit is in season!

  23. I never tried using phyllo. The tarts look so beautiful. I would probably use mascarpone cheese.

  24. So pretty! These little tarts look delicious and perfect for spring.

  25. These are beautiful! I just used phyllo dough to make some savory bites the other day, but they weren’t nearly as pretty as yours. Thank you for the inspiration!

  26. Victor – Thanks so much, and great idea with the mascarpone! I bet that would be so delicious with the fruit, and maybe a little honey on top. Now you’ve got me going! :)

  27. Georgia, those berries jump right off the screen. These tartlettes are beautiful. The perfect sized mini desserts. Looks like you had a blast with that phyllo dough.

  28. It took me 3 tries, but your postings are once again showing up on my page. I’m happy and relieved.

  29. Gorgeous tartlets with fresh fruits…. great photos too! Good job

  30. Amazing…..Always!

  31. You are a pastry whiz extraordinaire!These little phyllo delights are simply gorgeous!

  32. Ha ha, I wouldn’t go that far Nazarina, but thank you very much!

  33. These are beautiful! It makes me want to have a tea party or a brunch or something. Lovely pictures!

  34. Once again, beautiful beautiful photos :) Really well done on these tartlets too, they look well worth the effort! I can’t wait to try them now that the weather is more appropiate for something this summery!

  35. Love it, great for a ladies evening in! My friends would be impressed. Hope you have a nice weekend.

  36. I have some phyllo in the freezer – no I know what I want to do with it!!

  37. I love this. Something I will try for sure. On another note, tomorrow is my birthday and my husband is making dessert for me – your Mini Molten Chocolate Cakes, to be exact. It should be fun to watch him try and bake, but they are so easy, I am confident he will be able to do it!

  38. That sounds and looks incredible! I have some phyllo I need to use up!

    Great blog; happy I found you!

    Mary xo
    Delightful Bitefuls

  39. These look gorgeous! I can’t wait until we have beautiful, ripe strawberries here in Boston.

  40. These are just too pretty for words, so delicious will have to do :)

  41. 5 stars
    Those little tarts look so pretty and fresh! They’d be perfect tea party fare. I worked with phyllo for the first time not long ago and was totally frustrated with it. I guess I’ll just have to try again! ;)

  42. 5 stars
    These are breathtakingly beautiful. Perfect dessert for entertaining!

  43. Brilliant! Easy – pretty crunchy creamy – an explosion of texture and flavour. Love this idea.
    :)
    Valerie

  44. This looks so good, Georgia! I must make this!

  45. Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving such a sweet comment! These little tarts look too beautiful to eat. I haven’t made my own pudding before, or used phyllo dough but you have totally inspired me. I love your pictures and can’t wait for the chance to drool over some more.

  46. 5 stars
    These tartlettes look amazing.

  47. 5 stars
    These tartletts are gorgeous! I love how you piped the vanilla pudding into the puff pastry shells. I might just have to make these for dessert for our Mother’s Day dinner. I’m so happy to have found your blog. Thanks for sharing your recipes!

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