Gluten-Free Tartlets with Chestnut Flour, Chestnut Filling, Light Honey Cream and Poached Apples

Ingredients

• 200 g Chestnut flour (Sift before use)
• 80 g Granulated sugar
• 100 g Cold unsalted butter (Cut into small dice)
• 1 Egg (At room temperature)
• 2 g Salt (Pinch)
• 2 g Baking powder
• 250 ml Whole milk
• 2 Egg yolks
• 60 g Honey (Preferably a mild honey)
• 20 g Cornstarch (Sift before adding)
• 200 g Chestnut cream
• 50 g White sugar
• 30 g Brown sugar
• 30 g Wheat flour (or gluten-free flour) (For the filling)
• 30 g Melted butter
• 2 Eggs (for the filling)
• 100 g Blueberry jam (or blueberry compote) (Replace out-of-season blueberry compote)
• 2 Apples (Small, peeled and thinly sliced)
• 200 ml Water (for the syrup)
• 200 g Sugar (for the syrup)

Instructions

1. Prepare the sweet crust with chestnut flour

   In a bowl, mix the chestnut flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add the cold diced butter and work with your fingertips until a sandy texture forms. Incorporate the egg and form a homogeneous ball.

   Time: PT15M

2. Chill the dough

   Flatten the dough ball slightly, wrap it in cling film and place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes so it is easier to roll out.

   Time: PT15M

3. Prepare the honey pastry cream

   Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat (≈80°C). Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the honey until the mixture becomes foamy. Add the sifted cornstarch, mix, then slowly pour the hot milk while whisking. Return everything to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 80°C

4. Cool the honey cream

   Transfer the cream to a bowl, cover with cling film in direct contact and place in the refrigerator for at least 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

5. Prepare the chestnut filling

   In the robot bowl, whisk the two eggs with the white sugar and brown sugar until the mixture whitens. Add the flour, the baking powder and mix. Incorporate the melted butter then the chestnut cream until a smooth batter forms.

   Time: PT10M

6. Line the tartlet molds

   On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to 3 mm thickness. Cut 8 cm circles with a pastry cutter and place them in the tartlet molds, gently pressing the edges.

   Time: PT10M

7. Preheat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (thermostat 6).

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

8. Bake the tartlets

   Bake the tartlets for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are golden and the base is slightly crisp.

   Time: PT25M

   Temperature: 180°C

9. Prepare the syrup for the apples

   In a small saucepan, bring 200 ml water to a boil with 200 g sugar. Stir until fully dissolved, then let cool slightly.

   Time: PT5M

10. Poach the apples

    Submerge the apple slices in the hot syrup for 2 to 3 minutes, until they become translucent and slightly glossy. Drain and let cool on a rack.

    Time: PT5M

11. Assemble the tartlets

    Once the bases are baked and cooled, place a spoonful of chestnut filling in each tartlet, add a layer of honey cream, spread the blueberry jam lightly, then arrange a few poached apple slices on top.

    Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

3 g

Carbohydrates

35 g

Fat

10 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Chestnut flour: Whole rice flour
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Cane sugar
• Instead of Cold unsalted butter: Vegetable margarine (for lactose-free version)
• Instead of Egg: Flax egg + water (for vegan version)
• Instead of Baking powder: Gluten-free leavening powder
• Instead of Whole milk: Almond milk (for lactose-free version)
• Instead of Egg yolks: Flax egg yolk + water
• Instead of Honey: Agave syrup
• Instead of Cornstarch: Potato starch
• Instead of Chestnut cream: Chestnut purée
• Instead of Brown sugar: Brown sugar
• Instead of Wheat flour (or gluten-free flour): Rice flour
• Instead of Melted butter: Melted margarine
• Instead of Eggs (for the filling): Flax egg + water
• Instead of Blueberry jam (or blueberry compote): Red fruit compote
• Instead of Apples: Pears
• Instead of Sugar (for the syrup): Cane sugar

Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowl
• Silicone spatula (rubber spatula)
• Rolling pin
• Pastry cutter (8 cm diameter)
• Tartlet molds (12 pieces)
• Saucepan
• Whisk
• Cooking thermometer (optional)
• Oven
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper (optional)
• Paring knife
• Cutting board
• Tongs or kitchen tweezers (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Achieve a sandy texture when rubbing the butter with chestnut flour.
• Chill the dough before rolling to prevent shrinkage.
• Cook the honey cream without boiling to avoid lumps.
• Bake the tartlets until golden without burning.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use very cold butter for optimal crumbly texture of the dough.
• For a stronger flavor, add a pinch of cinnamon to the chestnut filling.
• Lightly dust the poached apples with fleur de sel before serving for a savory contrast.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the tartlets in an airtight container 2‑3 days.

Freezer: You can freeze the baked shells without filling, up to 1 month.

Room temperature: Consume within the day if left at room temperature.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The sweet crust can be prepared the day before and kept in the refrigerator.
• The honey pastry cream keeps 24 h refrigerated, covered with cling film in direct contact.
• The chestnut filling can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator.