Chocolate Orange Tartlets Recipe

Introduction

These Chocolate Orange Tartlets combine a crisp, buttery pastry with a zesty orange curd and a smooth chocolate ganache. Perfect for impressing guests or enjoying a sophisticated treat at home.

Ingredients

• 250 gr (1 2/3 cup) Plain / AP Flour
• 50 gr (1/2 cup) Icing Sugar (or powdered sugar)
• 1 pinch Table Salt
• 120 gr (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter (very cold)
• 1 Egg
• 4 Egg Yolks
• 50 gr (4 tablespoons) Caster Sugar (or fine white granulated sugar)
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) Orange Juice (about 3 oranges)
• 1 Orange Zest
• 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
• 75 gr (5 tablespoons) Unsalted Butter
• 70 gr (2.5 oz) Dark Cooking Chocolate
• 70 ml (1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons) Heavy / Thickened Cream

Instructions

1. Step 1: In the bowl of your food processor, blend together the flour, icing sugar, and salt. Add the very cold butter cut into small cubes and mix until you get very fine crumbs.
2. Step 2: Add the egg (preferably pre-whisked in a separate bowl). Slowly mix until a dough starts to come together.
3. Step 3: Bring the dough together into a ball, place between two sheets of baking paper, and roll into a large disk about 3mm thick (1/8 inch). Place on a flat tray and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
4. Step 4: Remove the baking paper sheets and cut out small rounds of pastry with a round or fluted cookie cutter, at least as wide as the opening of a muffin pan.
5. Step 5: Gently press each piece of dough into the muffin pan, pressing the bottom and edges to remove air bubbles. Prick the bottom with a fork and chill again for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
6. Step 6: Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the muffin pan in the freezer while the oven preheats. Line each tartlet shell with baking paper and fill with baking weights (such as beads, rice, or dry beans).
7. Step 7: Bake for 15 minutes. Remove baking weights and paper, then bake for another 15 minutes or until golden and dry to the touch. Let cool completely.
8. Step 8: For the orange curd filling, combine orange juice and zest, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine and cook on very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly (3 to 5 minutes).
9. Step 9: Add cubed butter gradually, stirring until fully melted before adding more. Continue cooking on low heat while stirring until the curd thickens. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove lumps.
10. Step 10: Pour the warm orange curd into cooled tartlet shells. Tap gently to release air bubbles and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight until set.
11. Step 11: For the chocolate ganache, finely chop the cooking chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl.
12. Step 12: Heat cream in a small pot until it begins to simmer. Pour half of it over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes without stirring.
13. Step 13: Stir gently in small circles starting from the center until smooth. Pour the remaining hot cream over the ganache and stir again until fully melted and glossy.
14. Step 14: Transfer ganache to a piping bag, snip the tip, and pipe over the orange curd. Tap tartlets gently to help ganache spread or use an offset spatula. Alternatively, drizzle chocolate for a different look.
15. Step 15: Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set.
16. Step 16: Decorate with dehydrated orange slices, extra orange zest, or chocolate curls. Let tartlets sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving for best texture.

Tips & Variations

• For a hand-mixed dough, rub the cold butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs before adding the egg.
• Use a fluted cookie cutter for a decorative tartlet edge.
• If you don’t have baking weights, dry rice or beans work perfectly to keep the tart shells in shape.
• To intensify the orange flavor, add a teaspoon of finely grated orange zest to the chocolate ganache before setting.
• Substitute dark cooking chocolate with milk or white chocolate for a different flavor profile.

Storage

Store the tartlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best texture, allow them to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Avoid freezing as it can affect the crispness of the pastry and the texture of the curd and ganache.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the tartlet shells ahead of time?

Yes, the pastry shells can be baked and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days before filling.

What can I use if I don’t have a piping bag for the ganache?

You can spoon the ganache over the orange curd and spread it gently with a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon to create a smooth layer.

Chocolate Orange Tartlets Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 119 reviews

Delight in these elegant Chocolate Orange Tartlets featuring a crisp pastry shell, tangy homemade orange curd filling, and a luscious dark chocolate ganache topping. Perfectly balanced in flavors, these tartlets offer a gourmet dessert experience with a hint of citrus brightness combined with rich chocolate indulgence.

• Author: Felix
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes (including chilling and setting times)
• Yield: 12 tartlets 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Tartlet Shells

• 250 gr (1 2/3 cup) Plain / AP Flour
• 50 gr (1/2 cup) Icing Sugar (or powdered sugar)
• 1 pinch Table Salt
• 120 gr (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter (very cold, cubed)
• 1 Egg (preferably pre-whisked)

Orange Curd Filling

• 4 Egg Yolks
• 50 gr (4 tablespoons) Caster Sugar (or fine white granulated sugar)
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) Orange Juice (about 3 oranges)
• 1 Orange Zest
• 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
• 75 gr (5 tablespoons) Unsalted Butter (cubed)

Chocolate Ganache

• 70 gr (2.5 oz) Dark Cooking Chocolate (finely chopped)
• 70 ml (1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons) Heavy / Thickened Cream

Instructions

1. Prepare Tartlet Shells: In a food processor, blend the flour, icing sugar, and salt. Add the very cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the pre-whisked egg slowly and mix until a dough forms. Form the dough into a ball, then roll it out between two sheets of baking paper into a 3mm (1/8 inch) thick disk. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
2. Shape Tartlet Shells: Remove dough from fridge, peel off one sheet of baking paper, and cut rounds using a fluted or round cookie cutter matching your muffin pan’s opening. Place each round into muffin pan cavities, pressing to line bottoms and sides, and prick bottoms with a fork. Chill again for 1 to 24 hours to firm up.
3. Bake Tartlet Shells: Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the muffin pan with tart shells in the freezer while preheating. Line each shell with baking paper and fill with baking weights (beans or rice). Bake for 15 minutes, remove weights and paper, then bake an additional 15 minutes or until golden and dry. Cool completely.
4. Make Orange Curd Filling: In a small saucepan, whisk together orange juice, orange zest, egg yolks, caster sugar, and cornstarch. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens (about 3-5 minutes). Gradually add cubed butter, stirring continuously until melted and curd thickens further. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove lumps.
5. Fill Tartlets and Chill: Pour the warm orange curd into cooled tartlet shells. Tap gently to release air bubbles and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight until set.
6. Prepare Chocolate Ganache: Place chopped dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Heat cream to simmering point in a small pot. Pour half the hot cream over chocolate, let stand 2-3 minutes, then stir gently in circular motions from center outwards until smooth. Heat and add the remaining cream and stir again until the ganache is glossy and fully combined.
7. Decorate Tartlets: Transfer ganache to a piping bag, cut the tip, and pipe over the set orange curd. Tap gently to spread ganache evenly or use an offset spatula. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set the ganache.
8. Finish and Serve: Decorate tartlets with dehydrated orange slices, extra orange zest, or chocolate curls. Allow tartlets to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving for optimum texture and flavor.

Notes

• You can make the pastry by hand using a similar method: rub cold butter into flour mixture until fine crumbs form.
• Do not overwork the dough; handle it just enough to bring it together to maintain a tender crust.
• Choose a cookie cutter at least the size of the muffin pan opening for perfectly fitting shells.
• The orange curd thickens further as it cools; ensure continuous stirring to prevent lumps or curdling.
• Allow the chopped chocolate to melt fully in the cream before stirring to create smooth ganache.
• If ganache thickens too much, gently reheat cream before adding to maintain smooth consistency.
• You can drizzle ganache instead of piping for a different decorative effect.

Keywords: Chocolate orange tartlets, orange curd tartlets, chocolate ganache tart, citrus dessert, French pastry tartlets