If you love desserts where the sweetness of chocolate meets the indulgence of caramel and the crunch of nuts, this chocolate and peanut tartlet is made for you. It’s a little bomb of flavours and textures, both refined and comforting, that will please dark chocolate lovers and sweet-and-salty fans alike.
It all starts with a pâte sucrée, both crumbly and melting, which serves as a showcase for the richness of the chocolate. Baked to golden perfection, it brings that buttery, slightly sandy taste we all love in homemade tarts. On this base sits a chocolate ganache, smooth and silky, made with a good dark chocolate for an intense, balanced flavour. It literally melts in the mouth and pairs wonderfully with the crunch of the peanuts.
And to top it all off, a generous layer of caramelised peanuts brings that irresistible touch of crunch and indulgence. The caramel coats the nuts in a thin golden layer that contrasts beautifully with the sweetness of the chocolate. It’s this little detail that turns a simple tartlet into a true chef’s dessert.
These tartlets are perfect for a slightly chic afternoon tea, a dessert for dinner with friends, or simply to treat yourself on a Sunday afternoon. Their individual format lets you enjoy every bite without excess, and their presentation will always make an impression on the table.
How do I get my chocolate ganache right?
The ganache is the melting heart of this tartlet: its texture and shine depend on precise technique. To start with, choose a quality chocolate, with between 60% and 70% cocoa. I used Valrhona’s Caraïbe dark chocolate.
Heat the full-fat liquid cream (minimum 30% fat) until it just simmers, then pour it in three additions over the chopped chocolate or chocolate drops. This gradual pouring creates a stable emulsion, exactly like for a mayonnaise: the mixture becomes smooth, dense and homogeneous. Use a spatula rather than a whisk, so as not to incorporate air, which could dull the surface and create bubbles.
If the ganache seems to have split (grainy or oily appearance), add a small spoonful of hot cream and keep emulsifying gently until it becomes glossy again. For even more indulgence, you can stir in a knob of unsalted butter at the end, which will bring suppleness and shine.
How do you make beautiful “chouchous”?
For nice and crunchy caramelised peanuts, use raw peanuts and stir well throughout the cooking. The sugar must first turn sandy, then melt again to coat the nuts in a golden caramel. Work over a medium heat to avoid burning the sugar, and pour the chouchous onto a sheet of baking paper as soon as they’re ready. Separate them while they’re still hot, then leave them to cool in the open air to keep their crunch.
Ingredients & method
5 components · Full recipe
Sweet pastry dough (start the day before)
Ingredients
- 150 g (5.3 oz) butter
- 95 g (3.4 oz) icing sugar
- 30 g (1.1 oz) Pariani almond flour
- 60 g (2.1 oz) eggs (1 large egg)
- 250 g (8.8 oz) plain flour
- 1 pinch of fleur de sel
- a knife tip of ground vanilla
Method
1
Place the softened butter and icing sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed. Add the ground almonds, vanilla powder and fleur de sel and mix again.
2
Then add the beaten egg and mix with a spatula this time (it will be easier than with the stand mixer).
3
Finish with the flour and mix with the stand mixer until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous dough. Do not overwork the dough. Bring it together into a ball without pressing. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions.
4
Wrap each dough ball in plastic wrap, shaping them into flattened rectangles. Refrigerate one overnight and freeze the other (to use for another tart).
5
The next day, roll out the dough to a thickness of 2–3 mm using a rolling pin, then cut out 8 rounds of dough larger than your moulds.
6
Grease 7 cm (2.8 in) diameter tart rings and line them with the pastry, making sure to create a right angle at the base. Prick the pastry bases.
Baking the pastry shell
Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 g (0.1 oz) whipping cream
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 160°C / 325°F (fan).
2
Once the dough is well chilled, trim any excess dough that overhangs using a small knife.
3
Place a sheet of baking paper and add baking weights or dried beans to blind bake (note: if the pastry shell has rested overnight in the fridge, weights are usually not needed as the pastry holds its shape).
4
Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven, unmould and allow to cool slightly.
5
Smooth out any imperfections in the dough using a Microplane grater if needed.
6
Brush the tart shell and edges (inside and outside) with a mixture of egg yolk and liquid cream to give them a glossy finish (the liquid cream represents approximately 10% of the weight of the yolk).
Caramelised peanuts
Ingredients
- 200 g (7.1 oz) raw peanuts (unsalted, unroasted)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) caster sugar
- 50 g (1.8 oz) water
- 1 pinch of fleur de sel
Method
1
Put the water and sugar in a large frying pan or heavy-based saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the sugar has partially dissolved.
2
Add the peanuts and stir well to coat them. Cook while stirring constantly until the water has evaporated. Continue mixing until the sugar turns sandy and coats the peanuts.
3
Continue cooking over medium-low heat to melt the sugar again. Allow the caramel to form and coat the peanuts with a golden colour.
4
Pour the peanuts onto a sheet of baking paper and separate them quickly with a spoon or spatula.
Chocolate ganache
Ingredients
- 150 g (5.3 oz) Valrhona Caraïbe dark chocolate
- 130 g (4.6 oz) full-fat whipping cream
- 25 g (0.9 oz) honey
- 1/4 Norohy Madagascar vanilla pod (optional)
- 1 pinch of fleur de sel
- 40 g (1.4 oz) butter
Method
1
In a small saucepan, heat the cream with the vanilla seeds if using. Add the salt and honey.
2
Meanwhile, break the chocolate into pieces and place in a tall container (I use a jug).
3
When the liquid has reached 75°C / 167°F, pour it over the chocolate. Emulsify using an immersion blender to obtain a perfectly smooth, homogeneous mixture.
Assembly
Ingredients
- None
Method
1
Pour the ganache into the pastry shells to the brim and refrigerate for 1 hour until it firms up slightly.
2
Arrange the caramelised peanuts on top of each tartlet.
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