When world-renowned chefs from Le Cordon Bleu share a dessert recipe, you know it’s going to be something truly special. Straight from the pages of The Chocolate Bible, these Chocolate Nougatine Tartlets combine silky, rich chocolate with irresistible nougatine - a match made in pastry heaven.
Elegant yet approachable, this recipe captures the essence of French patisserie and is perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself to a refined indulgence. In this post, we will walk you through the steps to create these stunning tartlets and share tips from the masters for achieving perfect results.
Let’s dive into this decadent creation because dessert should always be this unforgettable.
Makes: 12 - 14 tartlets
Preparation time:
Cook: 20 minutes
Refrigerate: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 120 g soft unsalted butter
- 75 g icing sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 25 g ground almonds
- 1 egg
- 200 g flour, sifted
- 40 g sliced almonds
- 75 g caster sugar
- 30 g mild honey
- 300 ml whipping cream
- 3 eggs
- 60 g caster sugar
- 120 g dark (70%) chocolate, chopped
Method
Beat the unsalted butter with the icing sugar, salt and almonds; blend well. Add the egg then the sifted flour; roughly mix to combine. Press the crumbs into a ball then, on a lightly floured work surface, use the heel of the hand to push bits of dough away from you, smearing them across the work surface to blend the unsalted butter and flour. Work quickly; repeat if necessary. Form into a ball, flatten slightly and wrap in cling film. Refrigerate for 30 min.
Preheat the oven at 180°C (355°F). Butter 12 -14 8 cm tartlet moulds. Dust the work surface with flour. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 3 mm. Using a 10 cm pastry cutter, stamp out 12 - 14 rounds of dough. Line the moulds with the dough and prick the pastry bases using a fork. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Bake the dough-lined moulds for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool on a rack. Lower the oven temperature to 150°C (300°F).
Cover a baking sheet with baking parchment and place the sliced almonds on it. Toast in the oven for 5 minutes, or until lightly coloured. Place the sugar and honey in a saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Increase the heat and boil (do not stir) for about 10 minutes, or until the syrup becomes amber coloured. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the toasted almonds. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and place another sheet of parchment on top. Using a rolling pin, spread the nougatine into a layer 2 mm thick. When cool, coarsely grind in a food processor.
Heat the cream until simmering. Place the eggs and sugar in a bowl and beat until pale yellow and creamy. Stir ⅓ of the cream quickly into the eggs and sugar and mix well to combine; return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until thickened and the mixture coats the back of the spoon. (Do not allow to boil!) Remove from the heat immediately and strain over the chopped chocolate; stir carefully until smooth.
Place the nougatine in the tartlet shells to come to ¾ up the sides and fill with the chocolate cream. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until the cream is firm. Sprinkle with the remaining nougatine.
These Chocolate Nougatine Tartlets are more than just a dessert they are a celebration of texture, flavor, and the timeless elegance of French patisserie. Thanks to Le Cordon Bleu and The Chocolate Bible, this recipe brings expert technique and luxurious ingredients into your kitchen.
Ready to impress? Give the recipe a try and experience the magic for yourself - one indulgent tartlet at a time.
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