Il Cucinologo
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Mini Crumble Tarts for Buffet

17/11/2023

Mini crumbles are perfect for a buffet because they are delicious, cute to look at, and easily portionable. The traditional version of this dessert features a filling of jam or cream often accompanied by fruit, but you can vary it with other fillings according to personal tastes. Here is a version with jam filling.

Ingredients

  • 250 g of 00 flour
  • 100 g of sugar
  • 100 g of cold butter, cubed
  • 1 whole egg plus 1 yolk
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • Jam to taste for the filling (for example, apricot, strawberry, or berry jam)
  • Powdered sugar for decoration (optional)

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Add the cold butter cubes and work the mixture with your fingertips until you obtain a sandy dough.
  4. Add the whole egg and the yolk, and knead quickly until forming a homogeneous ball. If necessary, add a tablespoon of cold water to help the dough come together.
  5. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
  6. Take the dough again and divide it into two parts. With one part, line the bottom and sides of tartlet or muffin molds, previously buttered and floured, pressing well with your fingers.
  7. Fill each base with a teaspoon of jam.
  8. Crumble the other half of the remaining dough over the jam, creating a “crumble” effect.
  9. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the crumbles are golden.
  10. Let cool before dusting with powdered sugar, if desired.

I also recommend trying the version with a ricotta and lemon cream or a citrus jam, typical Italian flavors that pair wonderfully with the crumbly base of the crumble.

Fun Fact

The crumble, as the name itself suggests, is known for its characteristic “crumbly” topping that gives a pleasant crunchy texture contrasting with the soft filling. It is a variant of a classic of Italian pastry, the crostata, and has spread thanks to its simplicity of preparation and its delicious taste.