A quick cheat recipe for coffee mocha tarts using shop-bought pastry cases.
This looks pretty good huh?
Bet you think I slaved over these mini coffee tarts for hours.
Actually it was more like 20 minutes.
The only bit that took any time was making the crème patissière borrowed from my coffee and walnut eclairs – but this had been defrosted from the freezer – and you can buy chocolate crème patissière in pouches if you wanted to cheat further.
Now I can make pastry.
I’ve been making pastry since I was 12 (when they used to teach you at school) and these days I don’t find making pastry awfully satisfying when you can buy pretty decent pastry on a roll ready made.
Better still, you can have a box of these ready baked pastry cases kept in the cupboard for anytime you need an instant dessert.
I previously used to them to great effect in my raspberry tart back in the summer but here’s a darker version for autumn/winter.
Spread a tablespoon of molten dark chocolate on each pastry base. As well as adding wonderful chocolate flavour, this helps the tarts keep longer in the fridge.
Put the cases in the fridge for ten minutes to help the chocolate harden.
Then spoon over some ready made creme patissiere and some grated dark chocolate. And you’re done, mini coffee tarts dessert, ready in 20 minutes.
Mini Coffee Tarts
Ingredients
- 4 ready made mini pastry cases
- 1 quantity coffee creme patissiere
- 100 g dark chocolate
Instructions
- Melt 80g of the dark chocolate in the microwave retaining a few squares to grate over afterwards.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of the dark chocolate over each tart case, smooth over the surface to the edges.
- Put the chocolate covered cases in the fridge for ten minutes to help them set.
- Remove the cases from the fridge and spoon over 1 generous table spoon of creme patissiere and swirl round with a spoon to look even.
- Grate over the remaining dark chocolate. You can serve them immediately but they're best chilled for an hour to be eaten nice and cold. They'll keep in the fridge for 3 days.
I’m sorry to admit , I cannot stand coffee. Though reading this recipe does make the tarts sound appealing. I doubt I’d try them
Myself but I’ll pass the recipe on to my coffee loving friend.
nice recipe Sarah. I do love mini tarts like this over a slice of bigger tart – more pastry per square inch!! and like the coffee creme patissiere idea too. Good idea coating the basis with choc to keep them crisp
Thanks Nazima – it definitely helps them store nicely in the fridge.