Mini tarts (or tartlets) are basically tiny, topless pies you can easily prepare and transport for various applications like picnics, potlucks, or just on-the-go treats for yourself because why not? They’re a great all-purpose dessert because virtually anyone can make them thanks to their varying degrees of difficulty (opting for pre-made tart shells vs. made from scratch, for example) and the fact that they can be easily customized for various tastes and party themes.

Potluck and party hosts love it when you bring tarts because they require little to no utensils or serving accessories… just pick one up and pop it in your mouth (maybe do it in two bites so there’s no risk of chipmunk cheeks and tart shrapnel spilling out of your mouth). Tarts are also one of the delicious things you can make in your muffin tin.

A few tips for making the best tarts ever:

If you’re not confident in your pastry-making skills

Experiment with different pre-made crusts, such as the traditional butter pastry kind or even filo pastry. Then all you need to do is bake them, add the fillings of your choice and bake again quickly to set.

Quick filling options

 I once enjoyed the mindblowing combination of filo pastry cups baked with brie and fruit compote. So so easy and incredibly delicious! You can also whip up a quick custard, pour it into the baked pastry cups and top with fresh fruit for an easy yet impressive dessert.

If you want to show off

If you’re making your crust from scratch, be sure to start with cold butter and only blend it with your dry ingredients until it forms little pea-sized blobs. This will yield that delicious flakiness as the butter blobs melt during baking.

To avoid a sticky mess during the rolling process, place the dough between plastic wrap or two lightly floured sheets of wax paper before rolling. Once you’ve rolled your dough into individual circles, press it into your tart cups or muffin tin cups and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to prevent the crust from melting and shrinking during baking. You’ll also want to weigh it down while it’s in the oven to stop the dough from rising, which you can do pretty easily by pressing aluminum foil into each cup on top of the dough before baking.

Filling tips

The world is your tartlet (sorry) when it comes to choosing your fillings. Depending on the level of difficulty you’re after, you can purchase pre-made fillings in the store, make your own, or simply fill the baked tart cups with fresh ingredients that don’t require baking, like whipped cream and fresh fruit. If you’re planning to use a fruit filling, make it from scratch so you can control the sugar content, which can get pretty high in the store-bought jams and pie fillings.

Mini tart recipes to try

If you’re not comfortable ‘winging it’, here are some recipes you might like to try, ranging from beginner to pro:

• The Entry Level: Mini Brie Tarts
• The Show-Off: Jamie Oliver’s Rainbow Jam Tarts
• The Classic: Pecan Butter Tarts
• The Wild Card: Cheerios Tarts with Yogurt and Berries

Do you have any fond tart memories? Share them in the comments or over on Twitter at @luvoinc. If you’re new to the tart work, get inspired with some additional recipe ideas here.