Port Caramel Chocolate Tartlets Recipes

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 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.

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.

PORT-CARAMEL CHOCOLATE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Make the tart shells: Process the flour, cocoa, sugar, and fleur de sel in a food processor until combined. Add the butter; pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the processor running, add the eggs; process just until the dough comes together (do not overmix).
• Turn out the 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 the dough to 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut 10 rounds from the dough. Transfer the remaining dough to a flour-dusted baking sheet; refrigerate.
• Fit the dough rounds into 10 round tartlet molds (each 2 1/4 inches in diameter). Trim the edges of the dough flush with the top edges of the molds. (Refrigerate the scraps.) Refrigerate the shells until cold, 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prick the bottoms of the 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 10 and using the remaining dough (reroll scraps), repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 to make 40 shells total.
• Make the caramel filling: Heat the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, gently, until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook, without stirring, until the syrup comes to a boil, occasionally washing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Let boil, swirling the pan occasionally, until the syrup is dark amber. Remove from heat.
• Carefully stir in the cream and port (the caramel will steam and spatter). Add the butter and chocolate; stir until melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool until slightly thickened but still pourable, about 20 minutes.
• Cover the bottoms of the tart shells with almonds (about 1 teaspoon per shell). Spoon caramel filling into the shells, filling each almost to the top. Sprinkle with almonds and fleur de sel. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 3 hours.

PORT CARAMEL CHOCOLATE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse flour, cocoa, sugar, and fleur de sel in a food processor until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add eggs, and process just until dough comes together. Pat dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut 10 rounds from dough. Transfer remaining dough to a dusted baking sheet; refrigerate. Fit dough rounds into 10 round tartlet molds (each 2 1/4 inches in diameter). Trim excess dough flush with rims. (Refrigerate scraps.) Refrigerate or freeze shells until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Pierce 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 10 and using remaining dough (reroll scraps), repeat steps 2 and 3 to make 40 shells total.
• Make the filling: Combine sugar and the water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, gently stirring occasionally, 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 smooth. Let cool until slightly thickened but still pourable, about 20 minutes.
• Cover bottoms of tart shells with chopped almonds (about 1 teaspoon per shell). Spoon filling into shells, almost to top. Sprinkle with almonds and fleur de sel. Refrigerate until ready to serve, 3 hours or up to 1 day.

CARAMELIZED-BANANA TARTLETS WITH BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE PORT SAUCE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Using electric mixer, beat first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add flour; beat until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Press 1 piece evenly onto bottom and up sides of each of six 4 1/2-inch-diameter tartlet pans with removable bottoms. Bake crusts until deep golden brown and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Cool crusts completely in pans on rack. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.)
• For filling:
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add half of bananas to skillet in single layer; cook until bananas brown on bottom, about 45 seconds. Using thin spatula, turn slices over; sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar evenly over bananas. Cook until sugar dissolves and turns golden, occasionally swirling pan, about 3 minutes. Turn banana slices over; add 3 tablespoons warm water and continue cooking until caramel thickens slightly, swirling pan, about 2 minutes. Arrange banana slices in each of 3 tartlet crusts; spoon any caramel from skillet over. Clean skillet, then repeat procedure with remaining butter, bananas, sugar, and water. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand uncovered at room temperature. Warm in 350°F oven 10 minutes before continuing recipe.)
• Top each tartlet with scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle each tartlet with Bittersweet Chocolate-Port Sauce and serve.

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.