Berry Tart with Ginger Nut Crust

Why is everything just so much better in miniature?  I clearly have a thing for bite-sized treats as witnessed here and here, however bite-size it is taken to a whole new level when you combine pastry cream and the season's freshest fruit.  When I bake, I like to create small, individual desserts -  it just feels a bit more special than splitting a dessert.  I am still on somewhat of a berry craze (as seen here and here) so I decided to bake miniature Fruit Tarts with Ginger Nut Crust. 

My first experience with a fruit tart was in Paris. The tarts that sit in the windows of the patisseries are like works of art, almost too pretty to be eaten.  The berries are piled high and placed in beautiful artistic patterns.  My aim was to create the same sort of beautiful tart but with a twist.  I love pie crust but I was craving something with a bit more flavor. This ginger nut crust was outstanding, it tasted like a ginger snap and paired nicely with the vanilla pastry cream. I definitely recommend that you whip up a batch of these tarts at your next gathering!

*All photographs by Alison