The Chocolate Hazelnut Tarts

As part of Christmas Baking 2013.

To make sure that I survive the Christmas season, I attempt to give myself diabetes with amazing homemade desserts. I had two Christmas and 13 people to get sugared so, along with the Chiffon cake, I made these Chocolate Hazelnut Tarts.

First thing I made was the tart shells. More out of necessity as the grocery store was dangerously low on tart shell stock. Plus, my sister had given me a mini tart shell pan 3 years ago and I had never used it.... So I thought I'd break it in. 

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Sweet Vanilla Tart Shells

(From the Blue Flame Kitchen; Changed a little by me!)

1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened 
3/4 cup (175 mL) icing sugar 
4 tsp (20 mL) vanilla 
2 cups (500 mL) flour 
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  2. Using medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together butter and icing sugar until fluffy.  Using low speed, beat in vanilla.  Gradually beat in flour and salt just until combined. Gather dough into a ball; divide in half.  Flatten each half into a disc shape.  Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. 
  3. Remove one disc of dough from refrigerator.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick.  Using a floured 3 inch (7.5 cm) cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds.  Transfer each round to a mini tart pan using your fingers to press pastry into a tart shell shape. Prick bottom of tart shells all over with a fork. Repeat procedure with remaining disc of dough. Bake for 10 minutes or until tart shells are light golden around edges.  Cool completely in pans on racks. Remove tart shells from pans. 

Now, that my lovely, slightly deformed tart shells were cooling, I started making my ganache for the filling.

Chocolate Hazelnut Tarts

(From The Blue Flam Kitchen; Also, changed by me)

8 ounces Bernard Callebaut bittersweet chocolate drops
1/2 cup whipping cream
~1/4 cup Bernard Callebaut chocolate hazelnut spread
~24 mini baked tart shells
2 tbsp finely chopped walnuts

  1. Combine chocolate and cream in a 4 cup microwave-safe bowl.
  2. Microwave, uncovered, on medium (50% power), stirring twice, for 1 1/2 minutes or just until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
  3. Spread 1 tsp chocolate hazelnut spread on bottom of each tart shell. Spoon about 1 tsp of chocolate mixture on top, covering hazelnut spread underneath.
  4. Sprinkle with walnuts.
  5. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

So good. It's a strange recipe but I like it. You can also top of the tarts with flaked sea salt, if you have it. Also good. 

-Andrea

The Half-Assed Hobbyist