Honey Almond Tartlets

These tartlets are built on a rich sour cream pastry that chills overnight, then gets rolled thin and cut into layered rounds. The result is a shell that bakes up golden and flaky, with enough structure to hold a creamy filling without going soggy.

Cream cheese blended with honey and diced toasted almonds makes a filling that’s tangy, sweet, and crunchy all at once. It goes into the cooled shells just before serving, topped with fresh strawberries for a bright, beautiful finish.

The double-round construction (a solid base topped with a ring) creates a natural well for the filling. Brushing each layer with sugar glaze before baking adds a glossy, lightly sweet crust.

Chef Tips

• Chill the dough at least 8 hours. This isn’t optional. Warm dough is too soft to roll thin and tears easily.
• Refrigerate the scraps before re-rolling. Warm scraps make tough pastry.
• Roll to 1/16 inch. These are meant to be delicate. Thick shells overpower the filling.
• Fill the tartlets just before serving. The cream cheese filling softens the pastry if it sits too long.

Variations

• Use raspberries or sliced kiwi instead of strawberries for a different fruit topping.
• Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the cream cheese filling for extra depth.
• Swap almonds for pistachios for a colorful, slightly sweeter nut contrast.