HAZELNUT CARAMEL MINI TARTS

Hazelnut Caramel Mini Tarts image

This great appetizer/dessert recipe would be great for a dinner party or the holidays. I love the flavor of hazelnut and CARAMEL, and the two paired together is heaven. The recipe is kind of long, but will be well worth the effort. The cooking time is approximate and includes the refrigeration time.

Provided by VickyJ

Categories Tarts

Time 2h30m

Yield 15 mini tarts, 15 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons chilled whipping cream (or more)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked (or use chopped)
1 1/3 cups packed golden brown sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons whipping cream
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Steps:

Butter 30 metal mini muffin cups.
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and blend, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add 5 tablespoons cream and vanilla and blend, using on/off turns, just until mixture begins to clump together, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry.
Press 2 teaspoonfuls dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of each prepared mini muffin cup. Pierce tart crusts all over with fork. Freeze crusts 30 minutes before baking.
Preheat oven to 350°F
Bake frozen crusts until golden and baked through, about 25 minutes.
Transfer to rack and cool crusts in muffin cups 10 minutes. Carefully loosen crusts from muffin cups. Transfer crusts to rimmed baking sheet and cool completely.
Place 2 to 3 hazelnuts (or equivalent of chopped hazelnuts) in each crust.
For caramel filling:
Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, 2 tablespoons water, and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
Bring mixture to boil, then boil 2 minutes without stirring (mixture will bubble up and thicken slightly).
Remove pan from heat.
Add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously); stir until smooth.
Pour caramel into 2-cup measuring cup; cool 10 minutes. Spoon caramel over hazelnuts in crusts, filling crusts almost to top. Refrigerate until caramel begins to firm up slightly, about 1 hour.
Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Drizzle melted chocolate over top of tartlets. Chill until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.