Baking with Ready-to-Fill Tart Shells

Ready-to-fill tart shells are not just limited to cold preparation fillings! Broaden your use of our pre-made, crisp, buttery tart shells to baked fillings like citrus curds, cheesecake, frangipane and more. Executive Pastry Chef, Jessica Ellington, tested the integrity of our entire selection of ready-to-fill tart shells once filled and baked so you can create with confidence. Check out this comprehensive guide based on her findings with a few of her expert tips thrown in!

Please Note: Tart shells will darken with increased temperature and time in the oven. Handle with care, shells will soften during the baking process.

Cooling & Handling: Cool directly on baking tray. Let tarts cool completely (especially the 7" tart) and then chill fully before handling. Once chilled, the shells will be fine and crisp.

Download our convenient printable guide here!

Lemon Curd Tarts

Tart Shell Size: 7" or smaller

Bake Temperature: 300°F

Time: Less than 20 minutes

Pictured above: Graham Cracker Citrus Curd Tarts with Meringue.

Cheesecake Tarts

Tart Shell Size: 7" or smaller

Bake Temperature: 300°F

Time: More than 20 minutes

Pictured above: Amarena Cherry Swirl Cheesecake Shorty Tarts in our Mini Round Sweet Short Tart shells.

Chocolate Filling

Tart Shell Size: 7" or smaller

Bake Temperature: 325°F

Time: Less than 20 minutes

Key Lime

Tart Shell Size: 7" or smaller

Bake Temperature: 375°F

Time: Less than 20 minutes

Frangipane

Tart Shell Size: 4.5" or smaller

Bake Temperature: 350°F

Time: More than 20 minutes

Pecan

Tart Shell Size: 4.5" or smaller

Bake Temperature: 375°F

Time: More than 20 minutes

Pictured above: Pecan Graham Cracker Tarts with Natural Christmas Tree Decor, Caramel Micro Drops and Caramel Dessert Sauce.

Fruit Pie Filling

Tart Shell Size: 4.5" or smaller

Bake Temperature: 400°F

Time: More than 20 minutes

Pictured above: Blueberry Blackberry Fruit Jam Tarts baked in our Sweet Tart Shells (2.5)".

Jessica's Tips on Storage and Shelf Life

Refrigerating or freezing the baked shells has no negative outcome. If refrigerating or freezing, be sure to store in airtight wrapping.

"In my experience, filled shells have a short shelf life in the freezer. It's not so much the shell that goes bad, but the filling starts to weep and/or pull away from the shell. I would recommend no more than 5-7 days in the freezer after the shells are filled."

What are your favorite tart fillings? We want to see your sweet style! Tag us on social @ifiGourmet with #GourmetSweets to get featured on our channels. Happy baking!