Meringued Chocolate Tartlets

Ingredients

• 120 g Unsalted butter (soft, at room temperature)
• 60 g Powdered sugar
• 1 Whole egg (medium size)
• 150 g T55 flour
• 50 g Hazelnut powder
• 1 pincée Sea salt flakes
• 200 g 70% cocoa dark chocolate
• 200 ml Heavy cream
• 50 ml Whole milk
• 10 g Sugar (for the cream) (very little, the sugar mainly comes from the meringue)
• 2 Egg yolks
• 3 Egg whites
• 150 g Sugar (for the meringue)
• 50 ml Water (for the meringue)
• approximately 30 Ceramic beads (or dried beans) (for blind baking)

Instructions

1. Prepare the hazelnut sweet pastry

   In the mixer bowl, cream the soft butter with the powdered sugar until a homogeneous dough forms. Add the egg and mix. Incorporate the flour, hazelnut powder and a pinch of sea salt. Mix quickly until a dough ball forms.

   Time: PT5M

2. Chill the dough in the refrigerator

   Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to firm up.

   Time: PT1H

3. Line the tartlet molds

   On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 3 mm thickness. Cut circles slightly larger than the molds and place them in the molds, pressing lightly. Prick the base with a fork.

   Time: PT10M

4. Chill the shells

   Cover the tartlet shells with cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour before blind baking.

   Time: PT1H

5. Prepare the chocolate cream

   Melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie or microwave. In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream, milk and sugar until simmering. Pour the hot mixture over the melted chocolate while whisking. Add the egg yolks one at a time while whisking constantly. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

   Time: PT15M

6. Blind bake the shells

   Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place a small piece of parchment paper in each shell, then add the ceramic beads. Bake for 12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Remove the tray, take out the beads with tongs and remove the paper quickly to avoid burning the shells.

   Time: PT12M

   Temperature: 180°C

7. Fill the shells with the chocolate cream

   Remove the chocolate cream from the refrigerator, smooth it with a spatula and spread it evenly into the cooled tartlet shells.

   Time: PT5M

8. Final bake of the tartlets

   Bake the filled tartlets for 5 minutes at 180°C to set the cream.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

9. Prepare the Italian meringue – egg whites

   Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks until they are fluffy, without exceeding the firm peak.

   Time: PT5M

10. Cook the sugar syrup

    In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil and heat until 118°C (use an infrared thermometer).

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 118°C

11. Incorporate the syrup into the whites

    Pour the hot syrup in a thin stream over the whites while whisking at high speed. Continue whisking until the meringue temperature drops below 50°C.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: <50°C

12. Pipe the meringue

    Transfer the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a small tip (e.g., 'small round'). Generously decorate each tartlet forming rosettes or peaks.

    Time: PT5M

13. Torch the meringue

    Quickly pass the kitchen torch over the meringue until a golden, slightly caramelized color is achieved. If a torch is unavailable, place the tartlets under the oven broiler for 2‑3 minutes while watching closely.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

35 g

Fat

22 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Unsalted butter: margarine
• Instead of Powdered sugar: very fine granulated sugar
• Instead of T55 flour: all-purpose flour
• Instead of Hazelnut powder: chopped hazelnuts
• Instead of Sea salt flakes: fine salt
• Instead of 70% cocoa dark chocolate: milk chocolate
• Instead of Heavy cream: whipping cream
• Instead of Whole milk: semi-skimmed milk
• Instead of Sugar (for the cream): cane sugar
• Instead of Sugar (for the meringue): cane sugar
• Instead of Ceramic beads (or dried beans): dried beans

Equipment Needed

• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
• Mixing bowl
• Silicone spatula
• Kitchen scale
• Saucepan
• Infrared thermometer
• Baking sheet
• Tartlet molds (22 mm)
• Parchment paper
• Fork (for docking the base)
• Kitchen tongs
• Piping bag with small tip
• Kitchen torch
• Oven
• Sieve (for powdered sugar) (optional)
• Hazelnut grater (if making powder at home) (optional)
• Timer or watch (optional)
• Cling film (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Chill the dough in the refrigerator (1 h)
• Blind bake with ceramic beads
• Complete cooling of the chocolate cream before filling
• Reach exactly 118°C for the sugar syrup
• Cool the meringue below 50°C before piping
• Torch the meringue without burning it

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use toasted hazelnut powder to intensify the pastry flavor.
• Sift the powdered sugar to avoid lumps in the dough.
• A small drizzle of cacao liqueur in the cream adds extra aromatic depth.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the tartlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The meringue will lose its crunch after 24 h.

Freezer: Not recommended – the meringue texture deteriorates.

Room temperature: Consume the same day to enjoy the hot/cold contrast.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the dough the day before and keep it refrigerated.
• The chocolate cream can be made 24 h ahead and kept chilled.
• The Italian meringue holds for 30 minutes at room temperature before piping, otherwise it loses stability.