Cocoa Almond Tartlets with Chocolate Cream
Category: Desserts
Serves: 6
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Almond flour | 50g |
| All-purpose flour | 125g |
| Butter | 60g |
| Icing sugar | 70g |
| Eggs | 40g |
| Marzipan | 15g |
| Vanilla pod | 1 |
| Sweetened cocoa powder | 5g |
| Fine salt | A pinch |
| Whole milk | 150g |
| Heavy cream | 40g |
| Sugar | 50g |
| Egg yolks | 3 |
| Cornstarch (corn flour) | 16g |
| Orange zest | ½ |
| Dark chocolate | 60g |
| White chocolate chips | 30g |
| Raspberries | 12 |
| Physalis (Cape gooseberries) | 6 |
| Fresh mint leaves | 6 |
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the tart crusts
Start by preparing the almond cocoa crust. In a food processor, combine the almond flour and all-purpose flour, both sifted. Once mixed, transfer the dry ingredients onto your work surface, forming a well in the center. Sift the icing sugar into the center of the well. Cut open the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a knife. Add the vanilla seeds to the well, followed by the whole egg. Quickly knead the ingredients together, just enough to form a dough.
Lightly flatten the dough into a disc and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up.
Step 2: Make the chocolate cream
While the dough chills, prepare the chocolate cream filling. Pour the whole milk and heavy cream into a saucepan, adding the orange zest. Heat the mixture over low heat until it is just about to boil, making sure to stir occasionally.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift the cornstarch into the egg mixture, blending it in thoroughly.
Once the milk and cream mixture is nearing a boil, remove it from the heat and discard the orange zest. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking continuously to avoid curdling the eggs. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a creamy consistency.
Finely chop the dark chocolate and add it to the hot cream mixture, stirring until the chocolate is fully melted. Transfer the cream to a low, wide dish, covering the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool to room temperature.
Once cooled, place the chocolate cream into a piping bag (without a nozzle), and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 3: Assemble the tartlets
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3-4mm. Use a round cutter with a diameter of 11 cm to cut out 6 discs.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place 6 tartlet pans (with fluted edges) on it, each 8 cm in diameter. Press each dough disc into the tartlet pans, making sure to push the dough into the edges to form a crust. Trim any excess dough with a knife (save the trimmings to make small cookies) and then prick the base of each crust with a fork to prevent it from puffing up during baking.
Step 4: Bake the tartlets
Cut out 6 squares of parchment paper, each about 8 cm in size, and place them over the dough in each tartlet pan. Add ceramic baking weights or dried beans on top of the parchment paper to prevent the crust from rising too much. Bake the crusts in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until they are golden and crisp. Once done, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely.
Step 5: Fill and decorate
Once the tartlet shells have cooled, carefully pipe the chocolate cream filling into each tartlet shell. Top with a few white chocolate chips, raspberries, physalis, and fresh mint leaves for decoration.
Step 6: Serve and enjoy
These Cocoa Almond Tartlets with Chocolate Cream are now ready to be served! They’re perfect for any special occasion or as a luxurious dessert to end a meal. Enjoy the combination of almondy crunch, rich chocolate, and fresh fruit accents.
Tips and Variations:
- For a slightly different flavor, try infusing the cream with different citrus zest such as lemon or lime.
- You can swap the dark chocolate with milk chocolate if you prefer a sweeter filling.
- If you don’t have tartlet pans, mini muffin tins work as a great substitute.
These delicate tartlets will certainly impress your guests, combining rich chocolate with almond-flavored pastry and fresh fruit for a perfect bite of indulgence!
