Marcona almonds are grown in Spain and known for their buttery flavor. Fleur de sel is a French sea salt, but another good-quality coarse salt can be used in its place.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes forty 2 1/4-inch tartlets
Ingredients
For the Tart Shells
For the Filling
Preparation
Step 1
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).
Step 2
Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface; pat together. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
Step 3
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.
Step 4
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.
Step 5
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.
Step 6
Working in batches of 10 and using the remaining dough (reroll scraps), repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 to make 40 shells total.
Step 7
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.
Step 8
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.
Step 9
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.
