Photo: Natalie Levin
Whether you like tarts or not, this mini hazelnut caramel tart can’t be ignored. It’s a combination of two French desserts – Saint Honore and tartelette, and it combines two classical flavors: hazelnut and caramel.
On a golden buttery crust lays a thin caramel layer and a creamy and fluffy hazelnut cream, and on the sides there are tiny cream puffs filled with praline paste. It take some time to make it, but it’s worth it!
Photo: Natalie Levin
Mini Hazelnut Caramel Tart
For short crust pastry:
- 150 grams all-purpose flour
- 100 grams cold butter (cut into cubes)
- 40 grams icing sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk
- 1-2 tbsp. cold milk (as needed)
For the crumble (for puffs)
- 50 grams all-purpose flour
- 50 grams sugar
- 50 grams cold butter cut into cubes
- Pinch of salt
For the cream puffs:
- 125 ml. milk
- 5 grams sugar
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 50 grams butter
- 75 grams all-purpose flour
- 2-3 eggs
For the filling:
- 200-300 grams praline paste
For the caramel:
- 150 grams sugar
- 250 ml. heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 25 grams butter
For praline cream (adapted from chef Guillaume Mabilleau):
- 3 grams gelatin powder
- 15 ml. water
- 125 ml. heavy cream
- 90 grams praline paste
- 15 grams cocoa butter
- 250 ml. heavy cream
Decoration:
- Icing sugar
- Crust: in a food processor with a steel blade put flour, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt and process until mixture is crumbly.
- Add egg yolk and continue to process just until large clumps of dough form. If the dough is not setting, gradually add a little milk.
- Transfer the dough chunks on a lightly floured work surface and form a disc-shape with your hands.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
- Roll out the dough on a floured work surface about 3-4 mm thick and cut out circles about 8-9 cm in diameter. Line the tartelette molds. It is important to create a right angle between the sides and the base of the crust, which will ensure the edges remain high when baking.
- Using a fork create holes in the crust of each tartelette. Freeze the tartelette crusts for about 30 minutes before baking.
- Preheat oven to 170c degrees.
- Blind baking: put a sheet of heat-resistant plastic wrap or baking paper over each tartelette and fill with dry beans or special weights for baking.
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the weights and the plastic wrap and continue to bake the crust for about 8-10 minutes or until it is golden brown.
- Cool completely at room temperature.
- Caramel: in a large skillet put sugar and form a caramel.
- At the same time, heat cream and salt in a small saucepan to a simmering point.
- When the caramel is ready, pour over the cream and mix carefully.
- Cook over medium heat until creamy caramel amber-colored is formed.
- Add in the butter and cook together, stirring occasionally, another 1-2 minutes until melted and incorporated.
- Pour the hot caramel into the baked tart shells in a thin layer.
- Cool for a few minutes in the refrigerator to set.
- Crumble (for the cream puffs): in a food processor with a steel blade put flour, sugar, butter and salt and blend at high speed until large chunks of dough form.
- Transfer the dough to a work surface and form a disc-shape with your hands. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface about 2-3 mm thick and cut out circles about 1-2 cm. Refrigerate until making the cream puffs.
- Cream puffs: in a small saucepan put milk, sugar, salt and butter and heat over high heat until mixture boils and bubbles.
- When the mixture boils add in the flour all at once and stir well until it is assimilated and a large lump of dough is formed.
- Remove from heat and transfer the dough into the bowl of a mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Mix the dough on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it cools slightly.
- Add the eggs one at a time. It is important not to add an egg before the previous one has been assimilated into the dough. The dough is ready to use when it is flexible but stable, and creating a “thread” between two fingers.
- Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with 1 cm piping tip and pipe small mounds of puffs at intervals on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Place a crumble disc on top of each cream puff and flatten it with your hands.
- Preheat oven to 180c degrees.
- Bake for 12-18 minutes or until the puffs are golden and set.
- Cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled down, create a small hole in the bottom of each cream puff.
- Fill the puffs with praline paste generously and refrigerate until assembly.
- Praline cream: in a small bowl mix gelatin and water and set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature.
- In a medium pot heat 125 ml. of cream to simmering point.
- Add in the gelatin and mix well until it melts.
- Add praline paste and cocoa butter and mix well until completely melted and smooth.
- Grind the mixture using a stick blender, and add in the remaining 250 ml. of cream.
- Transfer the mixture to a flat container and chill for about 3-4 hours in the refrigerator until completely cold.
- Transfer the cream into a mixer bowl whipping attachment and whip at high speed until stable mousse if formed.
- Transfer the cream into a piping bag with a medium serrated piping tip.
- Assemble the tartelettes: fill the tartelettes with the praline cream to the top. Arrange three tiny puffs around the margins and pipe some more cream at the center.
- Pipe more cream between the puffs.
- Sprinkle a little powdered sugar and serve.
- This caramel tart is at its best on the day of preparation, but can be kept in a closed container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
- Instead of praline paste you can use pistachio puree the same amount. Flavors will vary accordingly.
- You can make this recipe as one large caramel tart (24 cm in diameter). Baking times will be longer.
Photo: Natalie Levin