These Mermaid Cream Tarts are sugar cookies with cream cheese whipping cream and candy decorations. They make a unique and fun dessert for all your little mermaids. Decorate them with edible pearls and shells to make a splash!
What are Cream Tarts?
I love the idea of mermaids! So I created my version of their world with candy decorations and cream tarts. If you are new to cream tarts, they are desserts made with cookies (or cake) and sweet cream. The top is then decorated with candies, flowers, cookies, etc. Let your imagination be your guide!
Stabilizing Whipping Cream for Mermaid Cream Tarts
Whipped cream deflates and becomes liquid after a little while, even if you keep it in the refrigerator. The way around this is to stabilize it with a stiffener such as gelatin or cream cheese. In this recipe, cream cheese stabilizes the heavy cream so it will hold its shape. However, store these decorated cookies in the refrigerator to keep the cream cheese cold. Fortunately, they will not melt but are still best eaten soon after making them.
One or Two Layer Mermaid Cream Tarts
Most cream tarts are double-deckers, meaning two cookies with cream piped between the layers and then on top. However, because they are so rich, you can use only one cookie, put cream on top, and then add the decorations.
Special Occasion Cream Tarts
Typical cream tarts are made from cookies (or cake) shaped like large numbers or letters.
- For instance, you might create 2 cookies in the shape of a letter to represent the birthday person’s name.
- Or if the birthday person is turning 30, you might have 4 large cookies (or number-shaped cakes), two 3’s and two 0’s. Both become double-deckers and are loaded with cream dots between the layers and on top. The tarts are finished with beautiful and creative decorations added to the top.
Also, be aware that cream tart cakes (or cookies) will feed many guests as a regular birthday cake would.
Simplify Mermaid Cream Tarts
These mermaid tarts use small heart-shaped cookies, which are easy to make with a cookie cutter or easy to find already baked. I used cupcake tail toppers and chocolate shells made from white chocolate, food coloring, and a candy mold. I also used edible candy pearls, silver beads, and colorful candy balls to decorate each cookie tart. I made tiny meringue stars and used them to decorate. All was done in shades of green, blue, and purple.
Meringue Cookies for Mermaid Cream Tarts
Although tiny piped meringue cookies make pretty decorations for these tarts, add them just before serving because the cream cheese can soften the hard-baked meringue. Otherwise, place them on the serving tray around the mermaid tarts so they don’t touch the cream cheese.
Use Candy Beads for Mermaid Cream Tarts
You can find candy beads in different shapes online. They are also sold in the cake and candy section of grocery and craft stores. Most of these beads will keep for a long time so you can use them for future baking projects.
The colored balls are Sixlets candy. In addition, I added a few edible sprinkles in matching colors and clear glitter sprinkles.
Use Smaller Cookies for Little Hands
These cookies are a great size for decorating single or double-layer tarts. But consider making them even smaller for children. The cream is rich, and you will find that most children (and adults!) want to try more than one to eat all their favorite colors.
How to Pipe the Dots for Mermaid Cream Tarts
It is easy to pipe the cream cheese dots on the cookies. Consider letting your little mermaids help by adding decorations. Use a piping bag and a large round tip. The decorations will hide any piping flaws too!
What Do Cream Tarts Taste Like?
If the cream dots stay on the cookies long enough, they soften them like an ice cream sandwich. If you eat the cookies are soon as you decorate them, they will be crunchy.
Freezing Mermaid Cream Tarts
These cream tarts with cream cheese freeze well, although I don’t recommend freezing any with fresh flowers or fruit. If you need to freeze them to use later, add flowers or fresh fruit just before you serve them. Enjoy!
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Mermaid Cream Tarts
Equipment
- parchment paper
- 1 piping bag
- 1 large round piping tip
- blue, green, purple, & white candies
- 3-inch heart cookie cutter (approximate size)
- 12 mermaid tails cupcake toppers
Ingredients
Butter Cookie Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cream Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Directions for Cookies
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and vanilla until creamy. Slowly add the sugar, beating well after each addition.
- Combine the flour and salt and gradually add to the butter mixture. Beat until well blended.
- Shape the dough into a disc and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Then roll the dough to 1/8 thickness on a floured surface. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out hearts and place them 1/2 inch apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool completely before decorating with cream.
Directions for Cream
- Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract for 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until thick and creamy.
- Fill a piping bag with the cream mixture and add a medium-sized round tip. Pipe dots about 1/2 inch tall and round onto half the cookies. Layer a cookie on top of the cream and pipe more dots. Repeat until all cookies have cream on the second layer.
- Decorate the cookies with edible flowers, candies, or cookies in your desired colors and theme.