Nov 11, 2009

Almond-Cream Tartlets

If you don't own clamshell-shaped pastry tins, you can use almost any two-ounce baking tin to shape the pastry crusts for these elegant desserts.

Credit: Todd Coleman

1⁄2 cup whole blanched almonds

1 cup sugar

2 1⁄3 cups flour

15 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened,  

plus more for pan

1 cup fresh or frozen lingonberries

  or raspberries

1 tbsp. fresh orange juice

1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream

1⁄2 cup vanilla sugar

1. Make the pastry dough: Put almonds into the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add 3⁄4 cup sugar and process until very finely ground. Add the flour and pulse until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Transfer dough to a work surface and knead briefly until smooth.

2. Heat oven to 400°. Divide dough into 32 equal pieces, about 1 oz. each. Press each dough piece into the bottom and sides of a 2-oz., 1 7⁄8" x 1 3⁄8" clamshell-shaped baking tin. Trim edges of each dough mold and place molded pastry crusts on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper; refrigerate for 30 minutes. Prick the bottom of each pastry crust with a fork and bake until golden and set, 12–14 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

3. Heat remaining sugar, lingonberries, and orange juice in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until berries break down and sugar dissolves, 10 minutes; set aside to let cool completely. In a large bowl, whisk the heavy cream until soft peaks form; slowly add vanilla sugar to cream and beat until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

4. To serve, fill each cooled pastry crust with a heaping tablespoon of the whipped cream and top with a teaspoon of the berry sauce. 

MAKES 32 TARTS