Salted Espresso Caramel, Chocolate and Nut Tarts
Photography Claire Aldous.
Decadent and delicious sums up these gorgeous tarts – perfect for dessert with a big dollop of softly whipped cream.
INGREDIENTS
Pastry
1⅔ cups plain flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup icing sugar
110 grams butter, diced and chilled
1 x size 7 (large) egg yolk
3 tablespoons chilled water
Filling
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup golden syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee granules
100 grams butter
½ cup cream
80 grams dark chocolate, chopped
¼ teaspoon smoked or regular sea saly (I used Maldon)
200 grams assorted mixed nuts, roasted
1 egg, lightly beaten
8 lightly greased tart tins (mine are 3cm deep, 8cm across the top and 6cm across the base and 150 ml capacity. You can also use standard ½ cup capacity muffin tins.
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 160˚C. fan bake
Pastry: Put the flour, salt, icing sugar and butter in a food processor and blend to coarse crumbs. Add the combined egg yolk and water, pulsing until the dough comes together. Tip onto a large piece of plastic wrap and form into a flat disc. Wrap and chill until firm.
Cut in half and roll out each piece on a lightly floured bench until 4mm thick. Having the pastry thin means you don’t have to bake the tarts blind before filling.
Cut out rounds and line the tins. Chill until very firm.
Filling: Combine the sugar, golden syrup, vanilla, coffee, butter and cream in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Simmer gently for 3 minutes then take off the heat and stir in the chocolate, salt and nuts. Cool completely. Add the egg and combine well.
Divide the filling between the tart cases and bake for about 30 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is a good golden colour. Cool. Makes 8 tarts depending on the size of the tins used
Filled and cooked tarts can be made 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container.
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