Nutty Caramel Chocolate Tarts are perfect dinner party food. Almonds & cashews wrapped in caramel, filling a thin tart shell topped with chocolate ganache.
3/4 cupmixed chopped nuts (I used almonds & cashews)
For the ganache
1/2cup(125ml) thickened cream (long life / shelf stable is fine)
60gdark chocolate, chopped
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Instructions
For the Tart Shells
Using a food processor, process the flour, butter and icing sugar until it is like a wet send. Add the water slowly while pulsing until the dough starts to clump.
Pull the dough together with your hands, then knead lightly to form a smooth ball.
Sit the dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll out to about 2-3mm thick. It should be very thin, so that you can cut all 6 circles out (notes)
Grease and flour 6 crumpet rings or small tart pans if you have them. Lay a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray and sit the crumpet rings on top.
Cut out shapes using a plate a little larger than crumpet ring. It needs to be big enough that the pastry comes about 2 cm high up the sides (my crumpet rings are about 2cm high). Lay dough over the crumpet ring and press it gently into the corners of the tin (where the bottom of the ring meet the baking paper) using your fingers. Chill for 15 minutes.
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan. Fill the pastry case with a round of baking paper and add baking beans or rice to weigh it down. Bake for 20 mins, then carefully remove the paper and beans / rice and cook the pastry for 5 mins more.
For the caramel nut filling
Add all except the nuts to a saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Add nuts and stir to combine.
Distribute the nut filling evenly between the tart shells, leaving just a small gap at the top. Bake for a further 10 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack before removing the crumpet rings.
For the Chocolate Ganache
Once the tarts have cooled, place the chocolate in a small bowl and set aside. Pour the cream into a small saucepan and heat, stirring every so often over low heat until it starts to bubble around the edges.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate then don’t touch it for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes have past, stir the chocolate and cream until you have a smooth ganache.
Distribute the ganache evenly over the top of each tart. Allow to set in the fridge at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (4 teaspoons worldwide)
If you want to make even smaller tarts, cut out rounds using a cookie cutter, that is just larger enough to fill a muffin tin.
Author: Marie Roffey
Course: Afternoon Tea, Dessert, Sweets
Have you tried this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.