These Mini Chocolate Tarts with Sea Salt are the perfect little bites of chocolatey goodness. They’re rich, decadent, and surprisingly easy to make. The flaky crust, combined with the smooth chocolate filling and a sprinkle of sea salt, creates an irresistible flavor combination that will have everyone coming back for more.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
What makes these Mini Chocolate Tarts with Sea Salt so special? First, the buttery, homemade crust is perfectly crisp and provides a delightful contrast to the creamy chocolate filling. The touch of sea salt elevates the chocolate flavor, balancing the sweetness with a hint of savory. Plus, they’re mini! These tarts are perfectly portioned, making them ideal for parties, desserts, or a special treat any day of the week. You can even get creative with toppings and decorations.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup ice water
For the Chocolate Filling:
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Sea salt flakes, for sprinkling
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the Crust:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the cold butter pieces and use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix.
2. Chill the Dough:
Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This chilling time is crucial for preventing the gluten in the flour from developing too much.
3. Roll Out the Dough:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter or a knife to cut out circles slightly larger than the mini tart pans. I use a 2.5-inch cookie cutter for mine.
4. Press into Tart Pans:
Gently press the dough circles into the mini tart pans, making sure they fit snugly against the sides. Trim any excess dough from the edges. You can use a fork to prick the bottom of each tart shell to prevent them from puffing up during baking.
5. Bake the Crust:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the tart shells with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans to prevent them from shrinking. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the parchment paper and pie weights and bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the crusts are lightly golden brown. Let them cool completely.
6. Make the Chocolate Filling:
While the crusts are cooling, prepare the chocolate filling. In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler), combine the chopped chocolate, heavy cream, and butter. Stir until the chocolate and butter are melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the salt.
7. Fill the Tart Shells:
Pour the chocolate filling into the cooled tart shells, filling them almost to the top.
8. Chill the Tarts:
Refrigerate the tarts for at least 1 hour, or until the filling is firm.
9. Add Sea Salt:
Just before serving, sprinkle the Mini Chocolate Tarts with Sea Salt flakes. This adds a wonderful flavor contrast and a touch of elegance.
Serving Suggestions
These Mini Chocolate Tarts with Sea Salt are a delightful treat on their own, but they also pair well with other desserts. Consider serving them alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
For a visually appealing presentation, arrange the tarts on a platter and garnish with fresh berries or a dusting of cocoa powder. Their small size makes them ideal for parties, potlucks, or any occasion where you want to impress your guests with a decadent dessert.
These tarts are perfect for holiday gatherings, birthday parties, or simply as a special treat to brighten up your day. The combination of rich chocolate and flaky crust is always a crowd-pleaser.
Storage and Reheating
To store the Mini Chocolate Tarts with Sea Salt, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Reheating is not recommended, as the texture of the chocolate filling may change. It’s best to serve them chilled directly from the refrigerator for the best flavor and texture.
Key Details
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour +
- Servings: 12 mini tarts
Equipment:
- Mixing bowls
- Pastry blender or your fingers
- Plastic wrap
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutter
- Mini tart pans
- Parchment paper
- Pie weights or dried beans
- Heatproof bowl
- Saucepan
Mini Chocolate Tarts with Sea Salt
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup ice water
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Sea salt flakes for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the cold butter pieces and use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix.
- Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This chilling time is crucial for preventing the gluten in the flour from developing too much.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter or a knife to cut out circles slightly larger than the mini tart pans. I use a 2.5-inch cookie cutter for mine.
- Gently press the dough circles into the mini tart pans, making sure they fit snugly against the sides. Trim any excess dough from the edges. You can use a fork to prick the bottom of each tart shell to prevent them from puffing up during baking.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the tart shells with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans to prevent them from shrinking. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the parchment paper and pie weights and bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the crusts are lightly golden brown. Let them cool completely.
- While the crusts are cooling, prepare the chocolate filling. In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler), combine the chopped chocolate, heavy cream, and butter. Stir until the chocolate and butter are melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the salt.
- Pour the chocolate filling into the cooled tart shells, filling them almost to the top.
- Refrigerate the tarts for at least 1 hour, or until the filling is firm.
- Just before serving, sprinkle the Mini Chocolate Tarts with Sea Salt flakes. This adds a wonderful flavor contrast and a touch of elegance.