Yogurt Tartlets Recipe
These charming little tartlets finish off a meal nicely. Oat-crusted with a creamy, ginger-spiked yogurt filling, they are delightful topped with any number of adornments - fresh berries, dried fruit, or crystallized ginger.
Oat-crusted with a creamy, ginger-spiked yogurt filling, these charming tartlets finish off a meal quite nicely. They are delightful topped with any number of adornments - fresh berries, dried fruit, or (ginger-lovers listen up) a bit of the crystallized stuff. I made a few of these little guys the other night for Wayne and some friends who came over for an impromptu dinner at our house. We kept it simple, Wayne ordered a stack of thin-crust from Pizzeria Delfina, I threw together a quick baby fennel and arugula salad (thank you for the inspiration Malinda!), and the wine for the evening arrived with our pals.
The crust here is easy because you simply press it into the pan, chill and fill. Really, the only thing that takes any time or fuss is juicing the ginger for the filling, but it is so worth it. I put a tiny kiss of toasted sesame oil in this crust for fun - it's pretty subtle, but if you like it you might think about dialing up the amount in future tarts. I like that hint of sesame paired with the sweet ginger yogurt.
Yogurt Tartlets Recipe
If you have a hard time finding whole wheat pastry flour, feel free to substitute unbleached all-purpose flour. I made six little tarts, but I don't see why you couldn't make one large tart using a 9-inch tart pan. If any of you do this (the larger size), let me know, I just haven't had a chance to test it.
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon butter, coconut oil, or olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons natural cane sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I use low-fat here)
1/4 cup maple syrup
zest of one lemon
3 teaspoons fresh ginger juice*
2 large eggs, lightly beatencrystalized ginger, dried fruit, or fresh fruit/berries for topping
special equipment: 6 small tart (4-inch) pans or I suspect one 9-inch tart pan would be just about right for a single tart.
Preheat oven to 350F degrees, rack in the middle. In a medium bowl combine the flour, oats, and salt. In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the maple syrup and sugar. Now add the flour and oat mixture to the butter and stir well. Cook a couple minutes - just until you get a bit of a toasted smell. Stir in the sesame oil and remove from heat. Divide mixture into six equal portions, and as soon as it is cool enough, quickly press the mixture into (and up the sides) of each of the tart pans using your fingers and/or the base of a glass. Freeze until completely cooled - 5 or 10 minutes.
In the meantime, to make the filling, combine the yogurt, maple syrup, lemon zest and ginger juice in a medium mixing bowl. Taste. Add more ginger juice if you like. Now stir in the eggs until well incorporated.
Fill each tart shell with about 1/4 cup of filling (see photo), don't worry if you have a bit leftover. Bake for about 20 - 23 minutes. The filling should be set, and no longer jiggly. Remove the tarts and let cool for ten minutes. Now refrigerate for a couple hours, and serve topped with chopped crystallized ginger, fresh fruit, or dried fruit.
Makes six 4-inch tartlets.
*Fresh ginger juice: Grate peeled ginger with a micro-plane grater. Press and squeeze the grated ginger against a fine strainer extracting as much juice as possible.
Comments are closed.
Apologies, comments are closed.
Comments
Well, this was an inspiring idea that took on a whole new dimension when I got into it. I have made my own yoghurt for forty-five years and am always looking for new ways of using it. I added finely chopped walnuts and more oats to the crust along with cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamon which I then pre-baked for ten minutes before chilling and filling. Incredible!
For the filling, I made my yoghurt from whole milk this time and drained the whey fully so it was like a Ricotta, then added more zest and quite a bit more finely grated fresh ginger…again, WOW! For toppings, I lightly cooked Granny Smith apples and cranberries with maple syrup, added chopped toasted walnuts and candied ginger. I also did a rendition with fresh ripe mango and berries;
the combinations are infinite. Wonderful substitute for cheesecake and much healthier. Sorta!
I just made this recipe and they are in the oven baking. I hope they turn out well. A little concerned my crusts appeared to be much more wet than the photos here, although I used the same amounts. I substituted agave nectar for the maple syrup and did not add the cane sugar. I also used 1/2 lemon 1/2 lime zest, and put in the finely grated ginger rather than squeezing out the juice. I like texture.
I used a garlic press for the ginger too, and it worked well (be careful about pressing too hard, I later spent a few minutes on a chair cleaning bits of ginger off the ceiling!). These were delicious and got rave reviews, even from my co-workers who staunchly object to mixing fruit and dessert. The flavors were light and well balanced, though I went a little lighter on the ginger juice since I thought it would be a bit more pungent having used the garlic press.
I think you meant ww pastry flour and not ‘four’
HS: Thanks Doly.
Such pretty tartlets!! 🙂
Oooh, yummy. I could make it GF with crushed nuts or GF cereal,.
Hi Heidi, long-time fan, first-time poster. I regularly make your recipes and have never been disappointed. This was no exception! I made the tart in a 9in. pie pan and baked it for about 10 minutes longer (about 35 min). The end result is fabulous and only took an hour to set. I topped it with blackberries and crystallized ginger, and it reminds me of a lighter, slightly tangy cheesecake. Thanks for the consistently awesome recipes! xo
These look fabulous! I love the recipe for Julia Child’s Baked Yogurt Tart as well – it is always a hit! I reduce the sugar and use agave or maple syrup and do not even make it with the crust. I often add vanilla bean to it or do a lemon blueberry version.
Oh, and btw, your Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake is fabulous! The second time I made it, I reserved part of the batter and mixed it with some oven roasted tomatoes I did in the oven to make a red layer before the white and green flecked layer above. Yum! Thank you for all the inspiration!
OMG, these look delicious! I just made a fresh batch of yogurt yesterday, so I have plenty for this recipe. Thank you for sharing the recipe : )
Made these last night to cap a delicious homemade falafel dinner. Topped these with some strawberries macerated in some dark rum. Yum. Since I don’t own a tart pan, I used a muffin pan. Not as pretty, but worked quite well.
Is there caloric / nutritional information available for these? They look goood!!
For those who have made it, how strong is the ginger flavor?
I love ginger, but I was planning on marking tartlets topped with (my beautiful CSA share) strawberries for Mother’s Day. I’m not sure how much my mother in law likes ginger.
Thanks!
These were amazing!! I made my own Greek yogurt by straining plain yogurt on 3 sheets of coffee filters. Worked great.
I used lime instead of lemon, and they’re such a delicacy! Light and refreshing.
WIll definitely make it again but with lemon next time. Thank you so much for a great recipe.
I tried them with my 4 1/2 inch false bottom ones – they stuck a bit (I didn’t freeze the shells before filling, tho), so you can see the sides are a little raggedy – and they’re much yellower with farmer’s market eggs – I splurged on some fresh raspberries as a topper – Yum – I think I’m having this one for breakfast tomorrow.
those are beautiful! they look like the perfect ending to any meal.
maybe even better with dark chocolate covered ginger on top? 🙂
Those look amazingly excellent
These look delicious, but I am deathly allergic to eggs, so I’m wondering how essential they are to this recipe. I typically use bananas or oil to substitute in baked items, but I’m not sure what to use here. Any suggestions?
This sounds wonderful! The photos are amazing! I look forward to trying your yogurt tartlets.
These are fantastic! I made them last night… and I’m having one again for breakfast! 😛
Looks great. I have been trying to get myself in gear to make must have spring lemon tarts this week but with finals I havent even had a chance to get to the store- I am jealous. Your tarts look fantastic!
“Chill and Fill” is my kind of pastry! The tarts look lovely!
Guilt free desserts….:)
Hi Heidi. I’m crazy for all things yogurt, and can’t wait to give this cute tartlets a go. I’ve had trouble in finding real maple syrup… do you think I could use honey instead? It would pair the flavor of the ginger nicely, like in Chai Tea. Greetings from Morelia.
HS: Honey would work just fine! Let me know how it goes.
Hi Heidi,
I made this last night and it is really tasty! My tart pan is quite large so I used a 10″ spring form pan since it was the smallest size I have. The crust didn’t quite come up the edges and the filling created a rather thin layer. I think that even in a regular 9″ tart pan I would consider increasing the crust and filling quantities by about 25%. We are enjoying it again tonight (with mango slices and blackberries on top) and I think it improves with a day in the fridge! Thank you for this recipe. It’s quite good.
Love the versatility of greek yogurt! I just made up a honey/yogurt/ricotta filling, popped it in some phyllo dough, and topped it with lemon curd… these sound delightful too and so spring-like!
I commented above and totally messed it up. I meant to say that I use a garlic press to get ginger juice, not garlic juice!!!! It of course works for garlic, but honestly who wants garlic juice??? Especially for yummy little tarts like these!
Anyway, chop up some ginger into about 1/4″ cubes or whatever fits in your press and then squeeze out some ginger juice. Sorry! And an additional note that you should make sure that your press is completely free of any traces of garlic. They’re kind of tricky to clean but i just run mine through the dishwasher and it works great.
That looks so great! Kind of like an old-fashioned diner cream tart, but not insanely unhealthful. Can’t wait to try!
P.S. The Ginger People now make a bottled ginger juice for those of you that just want to keep some on hand at all times . . . would be very handy when you have a tartlet craving emergency!!! I could also see the possibility of adding it to the yogurt for the frozen yogurt recipe you have below in the related post, Heidi. I made it last week using 1% milk, homemade organic yogurt & it was faaaaaaaaaaabulous!!! I can only imagine how good it would be with the full-fat version 🙂 Another thing I will have to try with my case of Fage.
The tartlets are just beautiful & I may have to give them a try as I just won a FULL CASE of Fage Yogurt from BlogHer 🙂 Yay!! I can’t wait ’til it arrives 🙂
I also just look at Pizza Delfina’s menu & I want to CRY!!! How I wish we had a place like that here in the Midwest 😛 I would loooooove to know what the Salt cod, potato, tomato, panna, oregano tastes like — it sounds AMAZING!!!
Thank you Heidi for another quick & healthy dessert option & for transporting me from the sometimes mundane Midwest 🙂
Hi Everyone,
I made this last night in a 9″ tart pan, and the proportions worked perfectly! Catherine
HS: Thanks for confirming Catherine!
Have been trying some of your recipes in India, with great success to the delight of my family. But of course some ingredients are not available here. Can some kind soul suggest a substitute for maple syrup as I am DYING to try making these tartlets? Thanks!
HS: Hi Deepika – Go ahead and sweeten the filling with whatever you like. I prefer a liquid sweetener here (maple syrup) in part for its flavor, but also because it is easily incorporated into the yogurt. But you could dissolve some granulated sweetener in some water (or yogurt) and stir that in instead.
mmm!! I dont like it, I love it
this looks real good. i love finger food and this is one of them.
this a very refreshing recipe – thanks!
Oh, these hint at summer time too much! I can’t wait for fresh berry tarts. My favorite is wild mt.blackberry (not the big road side ones, but the tip of your finger sizes jems only found in the northwest) I can’t wait to combine those fresh berries w/ your beautiful ginger jewels…thanks for loads of inspiration!
Heidi- I love how you make such healthy, not over-processed nutritious sweets! They are my downfall and now I have so many options to turn too rather than something unhealthy. Keep up the great work!
About grated ginger:
You don’t really need to peel it. Most of the flavor is just under the skin. Here in Japan, when we make grated ginger, we leave the peel on.
Hot Ginger Drink
A really nice drink can be made from ginger juice:
-grate some ginger, use just the juice, a little bit goes a long way
-add enough honey to your taste making it a little sweet,
-add hot water and enjoy.
In Japan, they drink this when they have a cold, just before going to bed. It is believed that it helps get rid of the cold. But I like to have this, especially in the winter, any ol’ time. It is really good.
Heidi, I think you don’t just know “how to cook” you have The Gift of Food Prep!!!
These tartlets are adorable and look delish!
Glad to see that you are now starting to use maple syrup, as the sweetener, in your recipes more often. I have been cooking with maple syrup for years, since I have not cooked with white sugar for 33 years. I plan on omitting the cane sugar when trying this recipe. I love bite size treats, so I make many little tartlets recipes.
I can’t wait to try this recipe.
HS: Thanks Ann, I’d love to hear about some of your favorite maple baked treats – your favorites. Maybe we could highlight one on the site. I’ve done these w/o the cane sugar, and they are still really tasty, but with a milder sweetness. I think for some people if you don’t hit a certain sugar-threshold in a dessert, it is like when a dish is under-salted…a bit flat. Some people really feel like they need that sugary edge, which I can understand, and the cane sugar in this recipe gives a bit of that (hopefully w/o going overboard)…
What perfect looking petite desserts!
How simple and beautiful! Yogurt has always been a favorite of mine. Now that I am dairy free, I am going to start experimenting with making dairy free yogurt. Then I too can make recipes like this! 🙂
Ginger yogurt being my favorite food, these are now my favorite dessert. So elegant. Thank you.
Can these be made in a cupcake pan? I don’t have tart pans, but I and a good friend (who is soon to be a first time dad!) love ginger, and I can’t afford new pans for one recipe.
It sounds delicious!
HS: I don’t see why not – but I’d line the cupcake pan with cupcake wrappers – so the little tarts aren’t impossible to pop out.
These look fantastic! I’ve never thought to use sesame oil in desserts. I love the combination of crystalized ginger and dates, I must just try adding dates to the filling!
I am always looking for good and quick desserts, this one sounds great!!
Hi Heidi,
I am planning on making these tonight (in a 9″ pan, so I’m happy to pass along what I found). But I just got back from the store, and realize that I accidentally grabbed labneh instead of Greek yogurt. Any idea about how this would work? Thanks!
HS: Shouldn’t be any trouble.
This crust sounds so good!
P.S. I made your curried egg salad this weekend. One word – AMAZING.
As you say.. these seem perfect to finish off a lovely meal. I LOVE ginger so this is a winner with me. Thank you for sharing it.
I live in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala and so don’t have access to any good maple syrup…..what could I use instead? We have wonderful fresh fruit and vegetables here….but finding other things is often difficult.
Looks and sounds yummy!
I discovered ginger juice by accident — when I was trying to grate it finely for a dish. As you point out, as soon as you put it to the mircoplaner (the greatest kitchen invention ever, after the ratcheting garlic press) you get liquid. I use it now in quite a lot of recipes that call for ginger — in addition to the solid stuff.
These tarts look both delicate and rich — great impromptu dessert!
This sounds delicious. I am commenting, however, to point out a little error… you said “juicing the ginger for the FILING” and I do believe the word you intended was “FILLING” with two L’s in it. Filing is something I associate with woodwork and nails… not comestibles! 🙂 Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
HS: Oops better fix that – that’s what I get for hitting the publish button as I’m trying to catch a plane :/ Thanks for the heads up.
I heart anything with lemon and ginger! And I think I’ll try Sheila’s suggestion with coconut yogurt. Tegan – beware the latest findings of agave – our bodies process it like HFCS.
There has been some interesting coverage/perspectives on the agave topic on Natural News.
These look wonderful!
As someone else up there mentioned, I get garlic juice by chopping up some peeled garlic and squeezing it with my garlic press. (Good for making a ginger martini as well…)
Question for Heidi, I’m relatively new to your blog so maybe you’ve discussed this in the past, but why do you prefer greek yogurt?
Also what about “white whole wheat” flour? How does it compare to whole wheat pastry flour?
HS: I love the thick, rich texture of Greek yogurt – it also has more protein, so it fills me up for a longer time when I have it for breakfast. And on the flour front, I find that ww pastry flour works well when you’re after a tender crumb – cakes, scones, and the like. I’m more apt to use white whole wheat flour for pizza doughs, breads and that sort of thing – it has a higher protein content, making it better suited for those sorts of baking endeavors.
very nice tartlets well done and very festive with the colours …delicious too I bet 🙂 xxx
These look so simple and like a sweet ending to a meal! I’m impressed by the squeezing out ginger juice… looking forward to giving these a try.
Nice-looking recipe. I shall have to find something other than Maple Syrup to sweeten it tho: a) I hate the stuff and b) it’s not so easily available (therefore expensive) here in rural UK… Suggested alternatives?
I love this idea. Now that it is summer time, I have been turning more to non-baking type treats. Have you ever tried coconut milk yogurt? It is dairy free and soy free. I have been experimenting with it in place of my usual greek yogurt and LOVE it. Thanks for another wonderful recipe. Sheila
HS: No! I’ve never seen coconut milk yogurt – I will definitely keep my eyes peeled. It sounds delicious! -h
I’m excited I actually have everything for this at home! We will give it a try in a 9″ pan tonight or tomorrow and I will report back. I’m thinking fresh mango slices and blackberries would be good on top…
Those tarts look so delicious!
Can I use whole wheat flour instead of whole wheat PASTRY flour?
Your photos are amazing!!
I can see these becoming a favorite, morphing into a vehicle for what’s in season: topping with Rhubarb sauce, then sliced strawberries, moving into raspberries, followed by apricots, peaches, and blueberries. thanks!
Are those really your 4-inch tart pans in the photo? They look like the really tiny, ca. 1 – 2 inch, no false bottom, ones that I have – I have some 4s and they seem way bigger!
They are! Cross my heart. These don’t have the pop-out bottoms though.
This looks absolutely delicious! But I think I’m going to try to put Agave nectar in lieu of maple syrup — not a fan of maple at all.
Tegan
I am having a distinctly ginger moment these days so this is absolutely hitting the spot for me! Plus which I think oats and butter are just about the best combination ever so I’m most certainly looking forward to this crust!
I love making the crust with a grainless mix of toasted almonds ground, toasted sesame ground, some dates and a touch of agave or honey to keep it all stuck together. These look delicious!
I love making the crust with a grainless mix of toasted almonds ground, toasted sesame ground, some dates and a touch of agave or honey to keep it all stuck together. These look delicious!
These are gorgeous! I love using extra virgin coconut oil that has a good coconut smell and taste. It’s super good for metabolism and is anti-candida.
This sounds sooo fresh and healthy! I’ll definitely try it. Where can I get those mini tart pans ?
Yummy…can’t wait to try. I’ve been making my own yogurt experimenting with adding flavors, sweeteners before “fermentation”. I like my breakfast and desert yogurt halfway between the store-bought variety of sweetness and unsweetened, as in slightly sweet. So far, maple syrup works beautifully, often with addition of a little fruit concentrate like blueberry. I strain my own yogurt for “greek” yogurt. Can’t wait to experiment with these tarts. This has also given me the idea to add some ginger juice maybe with honey to milk before I load the yogurt maker for a new flavor.
Heidi, I just have to thank you for continuing to explore desserts/sweets with natural sweeteners and whole grains!! As someone with an insatiable sweet tooth (yet an overarching desire to eat as healthful as possible) your recipes are a beacon of light!
Have you thought about doing a baked goods/dessert cookbook with natural sweeteners and whole grains? That would be fantastic!
HS: Hi Kate, I’m not sure I can imagine doing a sweets-only book, but I try to highlight the sweets when I do make them. There are a bunch in my last book.
These look great. I’ll be trying them using Elizabeth’s suggestion of an almond meal based crust. I think that would go great with the yogurt, ginger, lemon, etc.
Good day Heidi, I know that u r a busy woman…. yet please do not your own television program pass u by. Look into Lifetime, today the r airing a program that teaches people to eat and get thin/healthier. These tartlets sound great, quick and fun. A good substitue 4 cheesecake. P.S., into the Asian markets, one can usually find a concentrated ginger jam, as well as, the concentrated ginger crystals for a quick tea/or cold beverage. If one were in a picke 4 a quick ginger juice.
What a great idea! I’d imagine that the yogurt would be the perfect backdrop for any fruit. I’m thinking you could make them as a great savory side dish, too. Add some tomatoes and a little oregano?
http://www.cookincanuck.com
i would recommend also trying it with almond flour (plus coarsely ground gluten free oats, if the person in question can eat them) for a quick and tasty g-f alternative.
you should reduce the oil in this case, as the almond meal will bring its own. i would start with a tablespoon and work up maybe to three or four as needed. i also might take out the sesame oil because it would compete with the almonds in my mind, but that’s a matter of preference.
this recipe looks AMAZING.
Heidi…everytime I open my in-box and see an email with your newest post I am mesmerized by what I see and read. You are such an inspiration to me. I had never heard of whole wheat pastry flour until I read your posts and I now try to use it in almost all of the recipes I make for my kids. They love it and I love that I’m feeding them good food. Thank you….
HS: Thanks for the nice note MBM, and what a cute site you have!
Hi Heidi,
I’ve been getting excited about your recipes for a while no, so thank you for inspirational cooking!
Wanted to ask – what would you recommend instead of wheat flour for wheat, gluten free diet? Almond flour maybe? What else is there that would be a suitable alternative and how to adjust it to regular recipes?
Thank you
in one word: amazing!!! i am going to try this, this weekend and will let you know. thanks so much.
To make ginger juice. I like to slice up the ginger root and put it in my garlic press. Squeeze gently, though or some of the ginger actually makes it through the holes instead of just the juice.
Those diminutive tart pans! Where did you find those?
HS: I’ve had them for years – can’t remember exactly where I picked them up – but I think Williams-Sonoma carries some that are similar on occasion?
These look delicious, refreshing and perfect for spring. I can’t wait to try them! Thanks, Heidi!
wow, these are fantastic! when i first saw the picutre i was imagining yogurt in its original state, but it’s great that you can bake them up! and ginger juice? hell yes.
These are very cute! A little like egg custard tarts, but much fresher I imagine. The oat crust is a nice touch too.
Adore anything with crystallised ginger (and the juice is great in a smoothie) so will look forward to trying these out.
These are excellent. I especially liked the crust and yogurt is always something I have in my kitchen.
I’m bookmarking this to try out.
I’m a big fan of yoghurt+ginger so I have no trouble imagining that I’d like these very much. The sesame oil in the crust is definitely an intriguing addition.
These look delightful! I love your site because of the healthy dessert recipes you share! 🙂 Thanks, Heidi!
yummy: i lreally love this combination ginger and with sweet its really awesome i love this and i wanna invite my friends and i want to serve this
ooh! i am going to try and make this 🙂
Yummm…beautiful and healthy…and they sound super-easy too!
More entrees, beautiful! I must buy some individual tartlet pans (any excuse, right? Small things are always the cutest!).
Am I remiss for seeing these as vegan friendly faux-cheesecakes? My neighbour is vegetarian + no eggs, a fine icebreaker.
Thanks again.
I really love that I always find new uses for maple syrup when I read your recipes. I tend to use agave more than maple syrup – do you think it would work in this case?
Thanks for the post, it gives me an excuse to buy some small tart pans.
That looks amazing! I’m quite fond of ginger, and the sweet and savory combination of ginger with yogurt sounds delightful.
I’ve been looking at your site for at least a couple of months now, and just wanted to say that your cooking style is an inspiration to me. Thanks for sharing your ideas–they’ve provided me with an awesome springboard to jump off of, and experiment, which seems to be at the core of your approach too. And what beautiful photographs!
best,
seohyung
This sounds wonderful!! I have everything I need to do these for desert for my Tuesday night dinner friends–I can’t wait to try these!
Comments are closed.
Apologies, comments are closed.
More Recipes
Weekly recipes and inspirations.
Popular Ingredients