Chocolate and caramel are enhanced with port wine, Spanish Marcona almonds, and fleur de sel, a delicate sea salt, for ultra-rich miniature tarts that are wonderfully unctuous, like fine truffles. The large yield of this recipe makes it perfect for parties; just don’t expect to have any left over. These tartlets have a tendency to disappear rather quickly.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 40

　　

For the Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

　　1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　3/4 teaspoon fleur de sel, or other sea salt

　　1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

　　3 large eggs, lightly beaten

　　

For the Filling

1 cup sugar

　　1/2 cup water

　　1/2 cup heavy cream

　　3 tablespoons ruby or tawny port

　　2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

　　1 ounce dark chocolate (preferably 70 percent cacao), finely chopped

　　1 cup salted Marcona almonds (or blanched, roasted, salted almonds), finely chopped

　　Fleur de sel, or other sea salt, for sprinkling

　　

Step 1

Make the crust: Pulse flour, cocoa, sugar, and fleur de sel in a food processor until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add eggs, and process just until dough comes together. Pat dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

　　

Step 2

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut 10 rounds from dough. Transfer remaining dough to a dusted baking sheet; refrigerate. Fit dough rounds into 10 round tartlet molds (each 2 1/4 inches in diameter). Trim excess dough flush with rims. (Refrigerate scraps.) Refrigerate or freeze shells until firm, about 30 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pierce bottoms of shells all over with a fork. Bake until firm, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely in molds on a wire rack; unmold.

　　

Step 4

Working in batches of 10 and using remaining dough (reroll scraps), repeat steps 2 and 3 to make 40 shells total.

　　

Step 5

Make the filling: Combine sugar and the water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, gently stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup comes to a boil, occasionally washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Let boil, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup is dark amber. Remove from heat.

　　

Step 6

Carefully stir in cream and port (caramel will steam and spatter). Add butter and chocolate; stir until melted and smooth. Let cool until slightly thickened but still pourable, about 20 minutes.

　　

Step 7

Cover bottoms of tart shells with chopped almonds (about 1 teaspoon per shell). Spoon filling into shells, almost to top. Sprinkle with almonds and fleur de sel. Refrigerate until ready to serve, 3 hours or up to 1 day.

　　Martha Stewart's New Pies and Tarts