Cocoa tartlets with cream and blackberries

Ingredients

• 370 g00 flour
• 180 gbutter, cold from the fridge
• 100 gbrown sugar
• 55 g (1 medium egg, at room temperature)egg
• 30 gunsweetened cocoa powder
• 300 galmond milk
• 2 mediumegg yolks
• 40 gbrown sugar
• 15 gcornflour
• 80 gblackberry jam
• 100 gblackberries

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the butter

   For the pastry, put the butter, sugar and salt in a bowl. Work them together quickly with your hands, then add the egg.

2. 2

   Add dry ingredients

   Work the mixture by hand for a few more seconds. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder.

3. 3

   Chill the pastry

   Work everything into a uniform dough. Wrap it in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Heat the almond milk

   Meanwhile, pour the almond milk into a saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil. In another saucepan, combine the egg yolks and sugar, whisking straight away.

5. 5

   Combine the cream

   Whisk in the cornflour. Pour in the hot almond milk and mix well, then return the mixture to the heat.

6. 6

   Cook and chill

   Keep stirring as you bring the cream to a boil. Transfer it to a bowl, cover the surface directly with cling film and chill for at least 1 hour.

7. 7

   Line the moulds

   Roll out the pastry to 0.5 cm thick. Use eight tartlet moulds measuring 8 cm across the base and 10 cm across the top. Cut out discs slightly larger than the moulds, press them gently into the moulds and trim away the excess pastry with a smooth-bladed knife.

8. 8

   Add the jam

   Put a teaspoon of blackberry jam into each pastry case and spread it over the base. Arrange the moulds on a baking tray.

9. 9

   Bake the shells

   Bake in a fan oven at 180°C for 20 minutes. Remove the tartlet shells from the oven and leave them to cool. Take the cream from the fridge and beat it with a spatula until creamy, then unmould the shells.

10. 10

    Fill and decorate

    Spoon the cream into the tartlet shells and level it lightly. Decorate with fresh blackberries, then finish with mint leaves and a pinch of icing sugar.

What are cocoa tartlets?

Tartlets are small, individual versions of filled tarts, a familiar style of pastry across European baking. This version pairs cocoa pastry with a cooked cream and blackberry jam.

Cocoa gives the shells a bittersweet note, while the jam and fresh berries bring fruitiness. Filling the shells after baking keeps the cream smooth and the pastry distinct.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 492 calories, 0g protein, 64g carbs, 23g fat.

The flour, sugar and jam are the main sources of carbohydrate, while butter contributes much of the fat. Egg and egg yolks contribute protein, and the almond milk is used in the filling. For a more balanced plate, serve a tartlet after a meal that includes vegetables and a protein-rich main.

The cocoa pastry

Cold butter: work it quickly with the sugar so it softens only enough to combine. Sifting the flour and cocoa helps distribute the cocoa through the dough without dry pockets.

Gentle handling: stop once the dough looks uniform rather than kneading it for a long time. The 30-minute chill firms it up for rolling and shaping.

Making the cream

Egg mixture: whisk the yolks and sugar as soon as they are together, then incorporate the cornflour until smooth. This helps the ingredients combine evenly before the hot milk is added.

Hot milk: pour it into the yolk mixture while mixing, then return everything to the heat. Stir continuously as it thickens and comes to a boil.

Shaping the shells

Rolling: aim for an even 0.5 cm thickness so the pastry bakes consistently. Cut each disc slightly larger than its mould, then press it gently into the base and sides.

Trimming: remove excess pastry with a smooth-bladed knife. Spread a teaspoon of jam across each base before baking, as directed in the method.

Cooling and filling

Pastry shells: let them cool after their 20 minutes in a 180°C fan oven before unmoulding. Warm shells are more fragile and can make the filling soften.

Cream: chill it for at least 1 hour with cling film touching its surface, then work it with a spatula until smooth and creamy. Spoon it into the cooled shells and level lightly.

Serving the tartlets

Fresh blackberries add a juicy contrast to the creamy filling and crisp shell. The method also suggests mint leaves and a pinch of icing sugar as the final decoration.

Serve the tartlets as individual desserts after a meal. Their fruit and cream also go well alongside a cup of tea or coffee.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the butter cold until you are ready to mix the pastry.
• Chill the dough for the full 30 minutes to make it easier to roll.
• Roll the pastry to an even 0.5 cm thickness.
• Stir the cream continuously as it heats to help it thicken evenly.
• Cover the cream with cling film directly on its surface while it chills.
• Let the shells cool before unmoulding and filling them.

Variations

• Berry swap: use another fresh berry in place of the blackberries.
• Jam choice: replace the blackberry jam with another berry jam.
• Dairy milk: use a different milk in the cream if preferred.
• Cocoa finish: dust the filled tartlets lightly with cocoa instead of icing sugar.
• Smaller shells: divide the pastry between more, smaller moulds and check them as they bake.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overworking the dough: stop as soon as it is uniform to avoid making the pastry tough.
• Skipping the chill: refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes so it is firmer to roll and shape.
• Uneven pastry: roll to a consistent 0.5 cm thickness for more even baking.
• Leaving the cream unstirred: keep mixing as it heats so it thickens smoothly.
• Unmoulding while hot: cool the shells first, as warm pastry is more likely to break.
• Filling warm shells: wait until they have cooled so the cream stays firm.

How to store

Store filled tartlets covered in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Keep the shells and cream separate until serving if you want the pastry to stay crisper; bring the filled tartlets out briefly before serving.

Frequently asked questions