Chocolate Caramel Tartlets Recipes

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL TARTS

Steps:

• Make the tart dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Add egg yolk and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Sift in flour and cocoa powder, and beat on low speed until just combined. Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, and form it into a disk; wrap well. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Between two sheets of lightly floured parchment paper, roll the tart dough into an 18-by-12-inch rectangle, 3/16 inch thick. Using a 2 3/4-inch round cutter, cut out 24 rounds of dough, and press them into 2 1/4-inch tart pans, trimming away any excess dough. Chill the tart shells in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Line each tart shell with a piece of parchment paper, and fill with raw rice or dried lentils. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and its contents, and bake until the pastry looks dry and set, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool. (The tart shells can be made up to 8 hours ahead.)
• Make the filling: Place 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan. Add sugar and corn syrup, and cook mixture over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until it becomes a dark-amber caramel, about 10 minutes. Carefully whisk in butter, cream, creme fraiche, and a pinch of salt (the mixture will bubble up), whisking until smooth. (The caramel can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated in a covered container.) Carefully transfer caramel to a glass measuring cup. Divide caramel among tart shells while still warm (or reheat caramel over low heat until it is pourable), and let stand until the caramel is set, at least 45 minutes.
• Make the ganache glaze: Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, and let stand for 2 minutes, then stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Pour some of the glaze over each of the tarts while still warm. Let the glaze set at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL TARTLETS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F. In large bowl, combine all crust ingredients; mix with electric mixer at low speed until well combined. Divide dough into 24 equal pieces; roll into balls. Press each in bottom and up sides of ungreased miniature muffin cup.
• Bake at 450°F. for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove crusts from pans; place on wire racks. Cool 15 minutes or until completely cooled.
• In heavy 1 1/2-quart saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and water; mix well. With pastry brush dipped in water, brush any sugar down sides of saucepan. Without stirring, cook over medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture turns dark golden brown. (If sugar mixture is not cooking, gently swirl mixture in saucepan.) Remove from heat. While stirring constantly, add 1 tablespoon butter and whipping cream; stir until bubbling stops. Return saucepan to low heat; cook and stir until mixture is smooth.
• Spoon 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture into each cooled baked crust. Stir chocolate chips into remaining caramel mixture until melted and smooth. If mixture thickens, cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Spoon about 1 teaspoon chocolate filling into each crust.
• Chop candy coating; place in microwave-safe small bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds; stir until melted and smooth. If necessary, microwave an additional 10 seconds. Place in heavy-duty food storage plastic bag; cut tiny hole in one corner. On waxed paper, pipe 24 (1-inch) tree shapes. Let stand until set. Garnish each tartlet with a tree.

CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL TARTLETS

Steps:

• To make the tartlet dough, beat the butter and the sugar just until smooth in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or by hand. Add the egg, salt, and vanilla, and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rice flour, and cocoa powder, then mix it into the creamed butter.
• Butter the indentations of two mini-muffin tins with 12 places in each, or one mini-muffin tin with 24 places. Pinch off pieces of dough and roll each into a 3/4-inch (2cm) ball. As you work, put the dough balls in the indentations of the muffin tins. Take your thumb and press the dough down in the center of each indentation, then use your thumb to press the dough up the sides. (If the dough is sticky, dampen your thumb very lightly with water or oil.) Freeze the pans of dough for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
• Bake the tartlet shells for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough appear dry and cooked. Remove from oven and use the handle of a wooden spoon to widen and smooth the inside of the little tartlet shells, pressing the dough that's puffed up somewhat firmly against the sides. Let cool completely, then remove the tartlet shells from the muffin tins - the tip of a paring knife might be needed to help aid them out - and set them on a wire cooling rack.
• Make the caramel filling by warm the cream with the caramels in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until the caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth. Divide the caramel into each of the tartlet shells.
• Make the chocolate ganache* by heating the cream in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for a minute, then whisk the chocolate into the cream until the mixture is smooth.
• Top each tartlet with some of the ganache and take a butter knife or small metal spatula and swipe off the excess. Sprinkle each tartlet with a few grains of sea salt.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• Prepare chocolate dough: In bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar and cocoa. Beat until smooth. Add egg yolk and vanilla, and beat until blended.
• Sift flour into dough mixture. Beat on low speed until combined. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch tart pan. (You can use a 9-inch pan, but the crust will be thicker and the caramel may take longer to set in step 4.)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart with foil, and fill with dried beans, rice or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, and bake until pastry is dry and set, another 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Prepare caramel filling: In a large saucepan, bring sugar, water and corn syrup to a boil. Stir or swirl the pan occasionally, until mixture is a medium amber color, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat. Caramel will continue to cook and darken off of the heat. Carefully but quickly whisk in the butter, cream, creme fraiche and salt until smooth (mixture will bubble up). Pour hot caramel into tart, and allow to cool and set, at least 1 hour.
• Prepare chocolate glaze: Place chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour hot cream over chocolate and whisk until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Pour glaze over tart, tilting tart for even coverage. Refrigerate until tart is set, at least one hour, then sprinkle with a few granules of fleur de sel. Keep refrigerated until serving.

GUINNESS®, CHOCOLATE, AND CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Mix pretzel crumbs, brown sugar, melted butter, and salt together in a bowl until mixture resembles wet sand. Pour into the tart pan, and press very firmly and evenly up the sides and into the bottom of the pan.
• Place tart pan onto a baking sheet and bake until crust is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Allow crust to cool completely in pan, about 30 minutes.
• Combine heavy cream, butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until butter is melted and mixture begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, set aside, and keep warm.
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large light-colored saucepan with high sides. Cook over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until mixture is amber in color, 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and very carefully whisk in reserved cream-butter mixture, as caramel mixture will bubble up and steam; stir constantly.
• Insert a candy thermometer into the mixture and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel reaches 245 degrees F (118 degrees C), 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully pour caramel into an even layer in the baked and cooled crust. Allow caramel layer to cool until set, 1 to 2 hours.
• Prepare the chocolate layer. Pour stout beer into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until stout has been reduced to 1/4 cup, 20 to 25 minutes. Pour reduced stout into a large bowl. Stir in chopped chocolate, chocolate chips, butter, and vanilla and set aside.
• Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until just simmering, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour over chocolate and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Carefully pour melted chocolate over the cooled caramel layer, making sure not overflow the pan.
• Use a toothpick to pop any air bubbles that may arise. Allow chocolate layer to cool and set up completely, 1 to 2 hours.

PORT CARAMEL CHOCOLATE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Make tart shells: Process flour, cocoa, sugar, and fleur de sel in a food processor until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor running, add eggs; process just until dough comes together.
• Turn out dough onto a clean work surface; pat together. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut 10 rounds from dough. Transfer remaining dough to a flour-dusted baking sheet; refrigerate.
• Fit dough rounds into ten round tartlet molds (each 2 1/4 inches in diameter). Trim edges of dough flush with top edges of molds. (Refrigerate scraps.) Refrigerate shells until cold, 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prick bottoms of shells all over with a fork. Bake until firm, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely in molds on a wire rack; unmold.
• Working in batches of ten and using remaining dough (reroll scraps), repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 to make 40 shells total.
• Make caramel filling: Heat sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, gently, until sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup comes to a boil, occasionally washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Let boil, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup is dark amber. Remove from heat.
• Carefully stir in cream and port (caramel will steam and spatter). Add butter and chocolate; stir until melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool until slightly thickened but still pourable, about 20 minutes.
• Cover bottoms of tart shells with almonds (about 1 teaspoon per shell). Spoon caramel filling into shells, filling each almost to the top. Sprinkle with almonds and fleur de sel. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 3 hours.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL TARTS

Steps:

• Chocolate tart dough: In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Add egg yolk and vanilla and beat until smooth. Sift in flour and cocoa powder and beat on low speed until just combined. Scrape dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form it into a disk. Wrap and chill until firm, about 1 hour, or up to 3 days.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. On lightly floured surface, roll tart dough to an 18 by 12-inch rectangle, 3/16-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out 24 rounds of dough and press them into mini muffin tins or 2-inch tart pans, trimming away any excess dough. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Chill tart shells for 20 minutes.
• Line the tart shells with foil and fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until pastry looks dry and set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. (The tart shells can be made 8 hours ahead.)
• Caramel filling: Place 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan. Add sugar and corn syrup and cook mixture over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally until you have a dark amber caramel, about 10 minutes. Carefully whisk in butter, cream, and creme fraiche (mixture will hiss and bubble up), whisking until smooth. (Caramel can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated, then warmed over low heat or microwaved before pouring into tart shells.)
• Divide caramel while still warm among cooled tart shells and let sit until caramel is set, at least 45 minutes.
• Chocolate ganache glaze: In saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Place chopped chocolate in a bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Pour some of the still-warm glaze over each tart. Let glaze set at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving. Sprinkle with salt, if desired, just before serving.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Blend flour, sugar, lemon eel and slat in processor 5 seconds. Add butter, yolk and vanilla and process until large moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; knead briefly to combine well. Flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill until firm enough to roll, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough between sheets of plastic wrap to 11- to 12-inch round. Peel off top sheet of plastic. Turn dough over; press into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Peel off plastic. Fold in any excess dough, forming double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze 15 minutes.
• Bake crust 10 minutes. Using back side of fork, press crust flat if bottom bubbles. continue to bake until crust id golden, about 10 minutes (crust sides may shrink slightly.) Transfer to rack and cool.
• Make chocolate filling:
• Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan and whisk until smooth. Spread 1 cup chocolate filling in prepared crust. Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes. reserve remaining filling in saucepan.
• Make caramel filling:
• stir sugar and 1/3 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until syrup is amber color, brushing down sides with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cream, butter, vanilla and salt (mixture will bubble up). Return pan to very low heat; stir until caramel is smooth and color deepens, about 5 minutes. Refrigerate uncovered until cold but not firm, about 20 minutes.
• Spoon caramel filling over chocolate filling. Pipe of drizzle reserved chocolate filling decoratively over cararmel (if chocolate is too firm to pour, warm slightly over low heat). Refrigerate tart until caramel is firm, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover keep chilled.)

CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL TARTLETS WITH ROASTED BANANAS AND GINGER-CITRUS CARAMEL

Steps:

• Sift flour and cocoa into small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Beat in flour mixture. Beat in egg yolks 1 at a time. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Using 5-inch-diameter plate or bowl as guide, cut out rounds. Reroll dough scraps if necessary to form four 5-inch rounds total. Press each dough round onto bottom and up sides of 4 1/4- to 4 1/2-inch-diameter tartlet pan with removable bottom. Pierce crusts all over with fork. Freeze crusts 10 minutes. Bake until firm to touch and beginning to pull away from sides of pans, about 15 minutes. Cool crusts completely in pans on rack.
• Combine sugar and next 3 ingredients in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over low heat until any caramel bits dissolve and caramel is smooth. Whisk in butter. Set aside.
• Bring cream and corn syrup to boil in heavy small saucepan. Add star anise; remove from heat. Cover; let steep 15 minutes. Discard star anise. Return mixture to boil. Remove from heat. Add 4 1/2 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate and butter; whisk ganache topping until smooth.
• Stir 1 ounce finely chopped bittersweet chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted. Brush inside of each crust with melted chocolate, then sprinkle each with 1 generous teaspoon chopped cashews. Spoon caramel filling over nuts in crusts (about 2 tablespoons for each). Chill tartlets until caramel sets slightly, about 30 minutes.
• Rewarm chocolate ganache topping just until pourable, if necessary. Spoon chocolate ganache atop caramel filling. Refrigerate just until ganache sets, about 45 minutes, then let tartlets stand at room temperature. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tartlets loosely and let stand at room temperature.)
• Stir 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until medium (not deep) amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; slowly add orange juice and 1/2 teaspoon ginger juice. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. Return mixture to boil, stirring until any caramel bits dissolve. Boil until sauce is slightly syrupy and reduced to 1/4 cup, about 4 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over low heat just until pourable.)
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Melt butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar; whisk until blended, about 1 minute. Add banana slices and toss to coat. Transfer banana mixture to small baking sheet. Bake until bananas begin to brown slightly around edges and sugar mixture bubbles, about 4 minutes.
• Remove sides from tartlet pans. Place tartlets on plates. Drizzle ginger caramel sauce around tartlets. Arrange banana slices alongside. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cashews and serve.
• *Brown star-shaped seedpods sold at Asian markets, at specialty foods stores, and in the spice section of some supermarkets

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• For the Chocolate Pate Sucree-----------.
• Place the flour, cocoa, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor, pulse several times to combine Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds Add the egg yolks and vanilla and process just until the mixture begins to hold together, no more than 30 seconds Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form a disk.
• Cover in plastic wrap, refrigerate for 30 minutes or until ready to use.
• For the Tart----------------.
• Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
• Roll the chocolate pate sucree to 1/8" thick and fit into a 9" fluted tart pan with a removable bottom Dock the bottom of the tart with a fork.
• Refrigerate the shell for 30 minutes.
• Place chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast until slightly darkened and fragrant, about 10 minutes, set aside.
• Line tart shell with parchment paper, pressing into edges and cover with dried beans or pastry weights.
• Place on a baking sheet, bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove paper and beans, continue baking until crust is golden, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
• Make the caramel by placing the sugar, salt and water in a small saucepan.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat.
• Wash down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming.
• Cook, gently swirling (do not stir) until the caramel is a rich amber color.
• Remove from heat and add 1/2 c of cream, butter and vanilla.
• Stir until smooth.
• Pour mixture into chocolate tart shell.
• Sprinkle with toasted pecans and place in the refrigerator while melting the chocolate.
• Place chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl.
• Bring remaining cup of cream to a boil in a small saucepan.
• Pour over the chocolate, let sit for 5 minutes.
• Stir until completely smooth.
• Pour over caramel and pecans.
• Return tart to refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour.
• To serve, dust the op with cocoa powder and garnish with Caramel-Dipped Pecans For Caramel-Dipped Pecans-----------------.
• Gently insert an 8" wooden skewer into each pecan, set aside.
• Prepare an ice bath, and set aside.
• Combine the sugar, water and cream of tartar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Wash down the sides with a wet pastry brush to stop crystals from forming.
• Cook, without stirring until the mixture begins to brown.
• Gently swirl the pan to color evenly.
• Remove from heat when the caramel is a rich amber color, place the pan in an ice bath to stop the caramel from cooking, about 5 seconds.
• Allow the caramel to sit, until slightly thickened for about 15 minutes.
• When caramel is ready, dip pecans, lifting up and swirling slightly to fully coat.
• Hold skewer over pan to allow the drip to lengthen and slightly harden, about 1 minute.
• Place the skewers in a cube of flower foam to stand them upright, allow to completely harden.
• Gently remove skewers before serving.