The origin of this dessert is Tarte Vaudoise, a traditional European pastry. I’ve replaced the original heavy cream with crème fraîche and added different nut textures. It may look simple on the plate, but it’s complex in flavor.

　　

Ingredients

serves 12

　　

For the Chestnut Sauce

1/4 cup (60g) whole milk, heated

　　Scant 1/2 cup (110g) chestnut puree (preferably Clément Faugier; see Note)

　　Scant 2 tablespoons (25g) crème fraîche

　　1/2 teaspoon (2g) coarse salt

　　

For the Tarts

1/2 recipe Tart Dough (page 181)

　　Scant 1 cup (200g) crème fraîche

　　1/2 cup (100g) sugar

　　1/8 teaspoon (0.4g) all-purpose flour

　　Marrons glacés (see Note), drained and chopped

　　Chopped hazelnuts

　　Ground cinnamon

　　

To Serve

Chopped hazelnuts

　　Marrons glacés

　　

For the Chestnut Sauce

Step 1

Put the milk, chestnut puree, crème fraîche, and salt in a blender. Blend until very smooth.

　　

Step 2

Scrape into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve the dessert or for up to 2 days.

　　

For the Tarts

Step 3

Divide the dough in half and roll each piece out into a rectangle about 9 x 14 inches and 1/16 inch thick. Place the dough on parchment-lined baking sheets and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cut the dough into 3 1/2-inch circles and line twelve 2 1/4-inch tart rings with the dough. Set on a Silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Heat the oven to 425°F or 400°F on convection.

　　

Step 5

Whisk the crème fraîche, sugar, and flour together.

　　

Step 6

Trim the excess pastry and prick the shells—bottom and sides—with a fork. Put some chopped marrons glacés and hazelnuts in each shell and spoon in the crème fraîche mixture, filling the shells no more than one-quarter full. Dust lightly with cinnamon.

　　

Step 7

Bake the tarts until the shells are golden brown and the filling is translucent, about 14 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking. The filling will bubble up and probably overflow and then subside as you bake the tarts. Let cool for a few minutes, then remove the tart rings. Slide the tarts back into the oven for 1 to 2 minutes, to crisp the outside of the pastry.

　　

To Serve

Step 8

Spoon some chestnut sauce on each plate. Top with a tart and garnish with hazelnuts and marrons glacés.

　　Cooks' Note

　　Clément Faugier chestnut puree is available at specialty and gourmet markets and online from Amazon.

　　Commercial crystallized chestnuts, marrons glacés, are available at specialty and gourmet markets.

　　Reprinted with permission from Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Copyright © 2008 by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved.Johnny Iuzzini,, executive pastry chef of the world-renowned Jean Georges restaurant in New York City, won the award for Outstanding Pastry Chef from the James Beard Foundation in 2006. This is his first book.Roy Finamore, a publishing veteran of more than thirty years, has worked with many bestselling cookbook authors. He is the author of three books: One Potato, Two Potato; Tasty, which won a James Beard Foundation award; and Fish Without a Doubt.__