As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
They’re very elegant, but these chocolate tartlets are incredibly easy as they are delicious!
Easy Peasy Chocolate Tartlets
These tartlets may look like you slaved away making them, but you don’t.
They’re so easy you’ll make them often. A big plus is that they can be streamlined even more.
I chose to make my own easy shortcrust pastry for these–and I truly suck at making pie pastry so you’ve got to trust me that this is easy! However, you can always buy those refrigerated pie crusts and cut circles big enough to fill the mini tart pans. I used 4-inch tart pans for these. That’s an ample serving because the filling is so rich. Half would probably suffice as a serving for most folks.
At this point I’m going to stress that my recipe for the tart pastry is European and ingredients are measured in grams. If you have a kitchen scale, there’s no problems. I have made the effort to actually measure what I use in the US system, but bear in mind that flour may NOT be accurate due to the way you fill the cup. You will get consistent and accurate results with all your baking if you weigh everything (the units don’t matter, but be consistent–don’t combine grams with ounces).
As if this can get any better, there’s only two ingredients in the filling!
Vary The Chocolate Flavor
I based this recipe off of something I saw on an old “Two Fat Ladies” program. It looked quick and easy and I used Jennifer’s advice to use a very dark chocolate–70% cacao. This intensely dark chocolate has bitter undertones and will make the resulting tart filling on the bitter, less-sweet side. I love super dark chocolate so I liked the taste. You may not, but there are other options.
These can always be made with a less bitter dark chocolate and even milk chocolate. What variety you use won’t have any impact on the filling setting up. Since the tarts are chilled in the fridge, any chocolate will firm up so there will be no problem.
Enjoy The Richness
These are in no way a “diet” dish. Please don’t be tempted to make substitutions for the cream. Heavy cream is necessary here for the texture. Where the type of chocolate you use should make no difference in the setting, using anything but heavy cream may affect it.
Since this is adapted from a British recipe and the cream called for is their “double cream,” which is 48% butterfat, there’s some fat saving with American heavy cream which is only 38-40% butterfat.
The Recipe
Chocolate Tartlets
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
Pastry: (see NOTES)
- 175 g flour 1 1/2 cup+2 tbs
- 2 tbs confectioners sugar
- 100 g cold butter cut in cubes 7 tbs
- 1 egg
- 1-2 tbs water--ONLY IF NECESSARY
Filling:
- 8 oz dark chocolate 70% cacao--see NOTES
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream--no substitutions
Instructions
- For pastry, add flour and confectioners sugar to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles small peas. Add the egg and pulse until it forms a ball. If the pastry is too dry, add the additional water a drop at a time.
- Roll out and cut in 5-6-inch circles and press into 4-inch tart pans. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prick the bottom of the dough and bake for 10 minutes or until crust is starting to get golden. Remove from oven and let the tart shells cool.
- Break up chocolate into small bits.
- Melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot water (microwaving is not recommended), stirring until no lumps remain. Slowly whisk the cream into the chocolate, blending well. Chill for 15-20 minutes or until the chocolate just begins to set.
- Vigorously whisk the chocolate/cream mixture to fluff it--you're not looking for stiff whipped cream here, just aeration.
- Top with toasted almonds.
Notes
70% cacao is very dark and bitter. You may substitute any good chocolate (dark or milk) for this
Nutrition
*Post contains affiliate links
Bobette Larsen says
Does thhis recipe make 4 – 4-inch tarts?
Judith Hanneman says
I got 6 out of it Bobette.
Juliana says
Judith are great! Once again pleased with the great recipe. Everything turned out very tasty, but instead of the dough I used cottage cheese. I love sweets!