Mama Maggie's Kitchen

How To Make The Tartlet Shells:
1 In the bowl, blender, or mixer, combine flour, cubed cold butter, egg, pinch of salt, and milk. 
17 Mix until the dough starts to come together. If necessary, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.
2 Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a soft dough. 
16 Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. 
18 Cut circles using a round cookie cutter (about 3 inches in diameter). Place the circles in a mini muffin tin.
4 Prick the bottom of each shell with a fork and crimp the edges of the shell with a fork. 
19 Place paper cupcake liners on top and fill with rice or lentils, whichever you have on hand. 
20 Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Let them cool completely.
How To Make Vanilla Pastry Cream:
5 Slice the vanilla bean in half and remove all the seeds with the knife. Place inside a saucepan with milk. Whisk to combine.
6 Heat the milk over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside.
7 In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
8 Slowly pour about half of the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
9 Return the tempered egg mixture to the saucepan. 
10 Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens and comes to a gentle boil. 
22 Let it cook for another minute or so, then remove from heat. Let it cool completely.
Assembling the Tartlets:
11 Once the pastry cream is cooled, spoon or pipe it into the tartlet shells.
12 Decorate with fresh fruit, berries, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a sprinkle of chocolate shavings.
13 Let it rest for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
14 Serve and enjoy!