Name: Coffee Cream Tartlets Recipe
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 150 g all-purpose flour (1 ¼ cups); 5 g cocoa powder (1 tbsp); 20 g melted chocolate (2 ½ tbsp); 100 g cold butter, cubed (½ cup); 40 g egg (about ¾ of an egg, roughly size S) (3 tbsp); 60 g powdered sugar (½ cup); 1 pinch of salt; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 400 ml heavy cream (1 ⅔ cups); 1 tsp instant coffee powder (or espresso); 200 g mascarpone (1 cup); 50 g powdered sugar (½ cup); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 100 g hazelnuts, roughly chopped (1 cup); 50 g sugar (¼ cup); Cocoa powder for dusting

Coffee Cream Tartlets Questions

My tartlet dough cracks and tears when I roll it out - what went wrong?

This dough is rich in butter and melted chocolate, so it firms up hard in the fridge; let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling. If it still cracks, roll it between two sheets of parchment paper and patch any tears by pressing the dough back together with your fingers. Cracks also appear if the dough was overworked after the egg went in - knead only briefly, just until smooth, then chill again for 15 minutes if it has become soft and sticky.

Can I use espresso or brewed coffee instead of instant coffee powder?

Yes, but keep the liquid low. The recipe dissolves 1 tsp of coffee powder in just 1 tbsp of hot water, so use no more than that same 1 tbsp of very strong espresso, cooled, and skip the water. More liquid than that will loosen the mascarpone base and the whipped cream will not hold its shape once folded in.

Can I swap the mascarpone or the hazelnuts for something else?

Mascarpone can be replaced with a full-fat cream cheese, but beat it only until smooth - cream cheese thins out quickly and the cream needs to stay firm enough to pipe. For the caramelized nuts, almonds or pecans work the same way: toast them dry, coat them in the melted sugar, cool them completely, then blend. Only fully cooled nuts turn creamy in the food processor; warm ones stay grainy because the caramel is still soft.

How do I store the finished tartlets and how long do they keep?

Store them covered in the fridge, since the coffee cream is based on mascarpone and whipped heavy cream. Expect the shortcrust base to soften over time as it draws moisture from the hazelnut cream, so they are best eaten the day they are filled. Dust the cocoa powder on just before serving - it darkens and dissolves into the cream if it sits.

What can I prepare ahead if I want to serve these at a party?

The dough can be made and kept wrapped in the fridge, and the blind-baked bases keep well once fully cooled - store them airtight at room temperature. The caramelized hazelnut cream can also be blended in advance and kept in a sealed jar. Whip the heavy cream and fold it into the mascarpone mixture only shortly before filling, then assemble and dust with cocoa just before serving.