adapted from Matt Adlard
This year, I told everyone I knew that the only present I wanted for my birthday was perforated tart tins. As a result, I was gifted perforated tart tins by three people. No complaints here, though, there are far worse things to happen. Let’s talk about what makes these tins special. The small holes along the sides and bottom of the tin allow for even air flow throughout the baking process. As a result, the pastry crust bakes perfectly without weights. The result are these extremely elegant tart shells that make a beautiful base for classic French tarts.
I did go a little crazy with these tarts. They have six separate components: pate scree (tart shell), hazelnut praline paste, hazelnut brownie, coffee ganache, coffee mascarpone cream, and candied hazelnut spikes. I highly recommend planning to make all the individual components a day before assembling them. Otherwise the whole task can seem overwhelming. I promise, though, if you have a bit of extra time on your hands, these pastries are straight up decadent. My family had to make a pact to only eat them when everyone else was around so that no one got an unequal portion. Yeah, they’re that good.
One final note, I’m giving all the measurements in grams. There are so many individual components that using volume measurements would become very tedious very quickly. This recipe makes 4 10.5cm tarts.
Combine the butter, sugar, and vanilla bean paste in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the egg yolks and beat to combine. Add the flour and salt and mix until just combined.
Turn the dough out onto a silicon mat. Gather the dough together into one ball, divide it in half and place each dough on a separate mat. Cover each with a second silicone mat. Roll the dough as thin as possible to the edges of the mat. Place the dough on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Remove from the freezer and cut out the tart bases with your 10.5 cm tart tins. Transfer to a perforated baking sheet. Cut strips from the second sheet long enough to fit around the tart tin. Press the strips into the tart tin, making sure to join the two pieces together at the seems. Refrigerate the tins for 20 more minutes then use a sharp knife to trim the overhanging dough from the tart shell.
Bake the tarts at 350°F for 15 minutes or until golden brown, rotate halfway through. Allow to cool completely.
Heat the heavy cream with the coffee beans to a simmer. Strain the cream into a separate container, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 3 hours.
Place the gelatin into a small saucepan and cover with the 45g cold water. Allow the gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the whisk attachment of a stand mixer on high-speed. Heat the sugar and 45g water in a small saucepan over medium head until a digital thermometer reads 245°F. Slowly drizzle the sugar syrup over the egg yolks. Continue to beat until the mixture is pale and thick. After 5 minutes, remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Heat the gelatin to melt it. Whisk the gelatin, mascarpone, and vanilla into the mixture.
Beat the cooled coffee cream to soft peaks. Whisk the cream into the mascarpone mixture and mix until smooth. Refrigerate overnight.
Heat the sugar and water over medium heat until it reaches 230°F. Add the hazelnuts, salt, and vanilla. Stir continuously until the sugar is a deep caramel color. Pour the mixture out onto a silicone mat and allow to cool completely.
Break the praline into pieces and add it to a food processor. Pulse the processor for 4 minutes, scraping the sides as usual, until you have a nutty paste about the consistency of peanut butter.
Melt the chocolate and butter over a bain-marie. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the sugar and eggs. Bake the batter in a greased 8” round tin at 350°F for 18-20 minutes. The brownies will be slightly undercooked and fudge. Allow the brownie to cool completely. Turn out and wrap in clingfilm then freeze for 1 hour before cutting the brownie.
Head the heavy cream and coffee beans in a sauce pan over medium heat until the cream is brought to a simmer. Pour over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Allow to cool completely at room temperature before use.
Heat the sugar, water, and corn syrup over medium heat until it reaches a deep amber color. Remove the mixture from head and allow to cool for a few minutes. You will know the sugar is ready when you dip the back of a spoon into the sugar and a long trail of sugar is lifted out of the saucepan. Dip hazelnuts speared with skewers into the mixture and gently lift out to create a sugar trail. Place the skewers underneath a heavy cutting board or any other heavy object to cool.
Pipe a thin layer of hazelnut praline into the bottom of the cooled tart shells.
Cut the brownies using a 8cm circular cookie cutter (or anything slightly smaller than the tart shells). Use the large end of a piping tip to cut small circles from the middle of the brownie rings. Press the brownie disks into the shells. Press until the brownie is not poking above the edge of the tart.
Piper ganache over the brownie so that it fills the tart to the top. Refrigerate the tart for 30-45 minutes until the ganache has set.
Whip the coffee mascarpone cream to stiff peaks and place in two piping bags fit with a French start tip and a large circular tip. Remove the chilled tarts and pipe the cream onto the top in a sporadic crescent design, or any design you would like. Place the hazelnut spikes ontop to complete the design and enjoy!
Note: If you let the tarts sit for a long time, the hazelnut spikes will ‘melt’ as the sugar is hydrated from the tart. It is best to serve these tarts shortly after assembly.