Cut the butter into pieces and let it soften at room temperature. Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix by hand, rubbing the mixture between your fingertips until it forms a crumbly, sandy texture.
Add the egg yolks and mix again until the dough is smooth. Don't knead it more than necessary, or the dough will become too elastic.
Shape the dough into a ball, cover it, and refrigerate it for at least two hours. This dough will keep in the refrigerator for about a week, provided it is covered with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container.
Once the dough has rested, remove it from the refrigerator. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat, or, if you don’t have one, a sheet of parchment paper. Dust the surface with flour. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is about 8 mm thick.
Remove the baking rack from the oven and preheat it to 180°C (thermostat 6). Place a pastry ring on the dough, press down firmly to cut out a circle, and remove the dough around the circle. Repeat with additional rings until all the dough is used up.
Place the baking mat with the circles and the dough on the rack, and bake for 12 minutes .
Preparing the cream and fruit
Slice open the vanilla bean using a paring knife, and scrape out the seeds from each half with a teaspoon.
Add the whipping cream, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla seeds to a mixing bowl or other container.
Mix well with a pastry whisk until the mixture is firm and smooth.
Preparing the fruit
Rinse the fruit and pat it dry gently. The chef’s tip: I use a salad spinner for this—place the fruit in the basket, cover with water, and swish it around to rinse. Next, remove the basket and place a dish towel in the salad bowl after draining the water. All you have to do is transfer the fruit from the basket onto the dish towel, loosely wrap it up, and turn it upside down so the berries dry without getting crushed.
Hull the strawberries and cut them in half. Set the berries aside on separate paper towels.
Final assembly
Spread the cream in a thick layer over the shortcrust pastry circle using a spatula. Use a small spoon to smooth the cream out evenly over the entire pastry.
Next, arrange the fruit on top of the cream, alternating the varieties to create a pretty, mixed arrangement. Garnish with a lemon verbena leaf if you have one, and it’s ready!
Notes
Keep these tartlets in the fridge, but don’t wait too long to serve them. If you’d rather store them in the fridge instead of serving them right away, place them in airtight containers so the fruit doesn’t dry out too much.