Mardi Gras Mini Tarts /#Mardi Gras

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It is almost Mardi Gras time, and even though I have not participated in this fun and tasty celebration in New Orleans, I am celebrating at home this year with these yummy Mardi Gras Mini Tarts. This is one of the simplest desserts you will ever make.

I made a vanilla pastry cream and filled some store bought, mini butter shortbread tart shells. Add green, purple, and gold sprinkles and some little ball sprinkles in the same colors to give the tarts a festive look! 

Even though I purchased the pastry shells, I needed to make the cream ahead of time. It needs time to chill before serving, so I started about 24 hours before my "test kitchen eaters" could try them out. The cream was smooth and tasted amazing!

Mardi Gras Mini Tarts

(printable recipe at end of page)

(makes approx. 15-20 mini tarts)

2 cups Milk

1/4 cup White Sugar

2 Egg Yolks

1 Egg

1/4 Cornstarch

1/3 cup White Sugar

2 tbl. Butter

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Mini Tart Shells

Purple, Green, and Gold Sugars

Purple, Green, and Gold Edible Decor Balls

Make the pastry cream by mixing together the milk and 1/4 cup of sugar. Bring it to a boil over medium heat. 

Use a medium bowl to whisk together the egg yolks and egg. Add the remaining sugar and cornstarch and stir them into the egg until smooth. Once the milk comes to a boil, drizzle it into the bowl in a thin stream, stirring constantly. You don't want the eggs to cook.  Place the sauce back into the saucepan and slowly bring it to a boil, stirring constantly so the eggs don't curdle.

Once the mix comes to a boil and thickens, take it off the heat. Stir the butter and vanilla in, mix until the butter is completely blended in. Pour into a heat-proof container and place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the pastry cream, preventing a skin to form. Refrigerate until chilled before using.

Using the mini tarts, fill each tart with the pastry cream. Place a little more pastry cream into the tarts than is shown in the picture. They look great when the cream is to the top, with a bit extra cream in the center.

Mix together some green sprinkles, gold shimmer sugar and purple sugar in a bowl.

Cover the cream in the tart with the sprinkles that were mixed together. 

Add some larger candy balls in mardi gras colors and enjoy this yummy treat!

Thank you for joining me today! I hope you found some Mardi Gras inspiration, and you try these Mini Tarts!

 

Continue down the page for more great ideas for celebrating Mardi Gras from some blogging friends.

Zombie Cocktail by A Day in the Life on the Farm

King Cake Cupcakes by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Homemade Beignets by Jen Around the World

Bananas Foster Bread by Jolene's Recipe Journal

Ramos Gin Fizz by Our Good Life

Cajun Pasta Carnivale by Palatable Pastime

Mardi Gras Mini Tarts by The Freshman Cook

King Cake Bundt Cake by The Redhead Baker

Voodoo Daiquiri by The Spiffy Cookie

Thank you for stopping by today! There is a printable recipe below for an easy way to keep a copy of this tasty recipe!

Oreo Mousse!

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There is nothing like a cool and creamy mousse! It is refreshing; oh, so creamy, and it's just fun to call food~ mousse! This mousse is a simple and delicious one. I had been looking at a box of Jello Oreo pudding in the baking aisle of the grocery for a few weeks. I just couldn't imagine what to do with it. Finally, I just bought it, figuring if I set it on the counter and looked at it long enough, inspiration would strike. It didn't. So I put it away in the cupboard. One day it just hit me, and so here it is! This mousse would be the perfect ending to a picnic or outdoor party. It just has to be kept cold. If you are having a fancier event, they could be made into individual mousse by using some of the cute mini containers that are available. No matter how you serve it, you will find this mousse to be easy to make and very delicious! That's always a great combo!

Oreo Mousse 

(this recipe makes 3-8 ounce mousse)

1 box Jello Oreo Pudding

2 cups Milk

crushed Oreo Crumbs

1 cup Whipping Cream

1/4 to 1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar

Mini Oreo Cookies

Mix the box of oreo pudding with 2 cups of milk.

Whisk for 2 minutes.(these are the directions on the box)

Let set up for 5 minutes.

While your pudding is setting up, whip your whipping cream

on high until medium peaks begin to appear. As they start to show, 

add your 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar. 

Taste it and if you feel it needs to be sweetened, add more. 

Finish whipping the cream until stiff peaks appear.

Gently fold in 1 cup of the whipped cream to the pudding.

I used oreo cookies that I had in the house for the crushed

oreos. I just removed the inside cream, put the 

top and bottom oreos in a zip lock bag, and crushed them

with a rolling pin. You can also use the precrushed

crumbs, of course.

Sprinkle some of the oreo crumbs into the bottom 

of your glasses. I didn't measure exactly, because 

not everyone will use the same type of glass as I did.

I put enough oreo in so that it would be visible once the

pudding goes on top. 

Add the mousse filling until about half way.

Add some of the oreo crumbs on top of the layer of

mousse filling.

Add filling up to the top of your glass.

Use the left over whipped cream to pipe on top of

the mousse filling. I used a wilton tip # 1M. Then top

the whipped cream with a mini oreo.

Enjoy!

Thanks for joining me today!

Here's a thought from a Oreo Mousse eater~when eating the mousse,

stir the oreo crumbs in with the pudding with your spoon as you are eating it.

It's really good! :)