Step 1

Make Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F.

Step 2

Spray 6 (4 1/2-inch-wide)

Step 3

mini tartlet pans with

Step 4

removable bottoms

Step 5

(see Editor’s Note, below)

Step 6

with baking spray. In medium bowl with

Step 7

mixer on high speed,

Step 8

beat butter, granulated sugar and salt

Step 9

until smooth and

Step 10

creamy. Beat in egg

Step 11

yolk, then flour until

Step 12

just combined. If

Step 13

dough is too soft

Step 15

to handle, wrap in

Step 16

plastic and refrigerate

Step 17

5 to 10 minutes. Divide dough into

Step 18

6 equal mounds. With

Step 19

lightly floured hands,

Step 20

press into bottoms

Step 21

and up sides of prepared tartlet pans

Step 22

in even layer; place

Step 23

pans on cookie sheet. Cover each tartlet

Step 24

with small sheet

Step 25

parchment; add

Step 26

enough dried beans

Step 27

or pie weights to

Step 28

fill bottoms. Bake

Step 29

15 to 20 minutes or

Step 30

until golden. Remove

Step 31

parchment and

Step 32

weights; bake another

Step 33

5 to 8 minutes or until

Step 34

golden brown. Cool

Step 35

tartlet shells completely on wire rack. Make Pastry Cream:

Step 36

Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk egg yolks,

Step 37

granulated sugar,

Step 38

cake flour and salt

Step 39

until smooth.In 3-quart saucepan,

Step 40

heat milk on medium-high until steaming

Step 41

and bubbles form

Step 42

around edge; remove

Step 43

from heat. To egg

Step 44

mixture, add splash

Step 45

of hot milk until

Step 46

smooth, whisking.

Step 47

Continue slowly adding and whisking in

Step 48

hot milk until half of

Step 49

milk is incorporated.

Step 50

Whisk in remaining

Step 51

hot milk until mixture

Step 52

is smooth. Return egg mixture to saucepan.

Step 53

Cook on medium 5 to

Step 54

7 minutes or until very

Step 55

thick and bubbling,

Step 56

whisking constantly.

Step 57

Remove from heat. Scrape seeds from

Step 58

vanilla and whisk into

Step 59

pastry cream, along

Step 60

with almond extract.

Step 61

Using med-mesh

Step 62

sieve, strain pastry

Step 63

cream into medium bowl,

Step 64

pushing through with

Step 65

rubber spatula. Discard any solids. Cover

Step 66

cream with plastic,

Step 67

pressing against surface. Refrigerate until

Step 68

cold, about 2 hours.Divide almonds

Step 69

among bottoms of

Step 70

tartlet shells. Spread

Step 71

or pipe chilled pastry

Step 72

cream into tartlet

Step 73

shells. Top one-third

Step 74

of surface of tartlets

Step 75

with berries, mint

Step 76

and flowers. Dust

Step 77

lightly with confectioners’ sugar.