Caramel Nut Tartlets （焦糖杂果挞）

去年姑姑来柏斯探访到我做客时，我给她和姐姐的家人做了这个杂果挞。记得这本Okashi食谱是去年姐夫特地网上订购回来给我的生日礼物，所以当时选了这个挞回馈姐夫。我们都很喜欢这个挞，尤其是姐夫，第二天还给我传了短讯致谢呢！上两个礼拜姐姐打电话来说要给姐夫做这挞庆祝生日，忽然提醒我这个好好吃的挞。。于是我为母亲节下午茶做了这个简单即可口的挞。这个挞大家都赞不绝口。

其实我也试过很多不同的挞皮，我本身很喜欢这个食谱，挞皮耐个三两天都依然是那么的香脆。这次我想试试Nestle 的Top n Fill Caramel所以就省掉弄焦糖的步骤。其实出来的效果也很好，而且也不会太甜。

Okashi啊，你这个“刚”东方口味也合西方心意的焦糖杂果挞 （caramel nut tartlets)我给它称之为“东方不败”！

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

Ingredients:

140g unsalted butter, at room temperature

70g icing sugar

a pinch of salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

40g egg
40g ground almonds

260g pastry flour, sifted

Almond Cream

90g unsalted butter, softened

75g caster sugar （I used 50g）

1 tsp vanilla extract

90g ground almonds

75g eggs

Caramel Cream

75g caster sugar

10g glugose syrup

100g whipping cream

50g unsalted butter

(I substitute the caramel cream with Nestle instant caramel cream)

Assorted Nuts and Dried Fruits

almond nuts

walnuts

pecans

pistachios

pine nuts

macadamia

dried cherries

Method:

1）Prepare sweet short pastry. Beat butter, icing sugar , salt and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until just combine. Add eggs and beat well. Add ground almonds and mix well. Add flour and fold through completely. Mix batter until a smooth dough and wrap dough in cling film. Place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 3 hours.

2）Preheat oven to 180 C

3）Unwrap dough and place on a non stick baking mat. Roll our the dough to thickness 3-5 mm.

4）Using a 9.5 cm fluted pastry cutter, cut out 10 rounds from the pastry. Gently press cut dough into 10 round tartlet tins, prick centre with folk. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes then bake for 18-20 minutes until tartlets become golden brown. Set aside to cool.

5）Prepare almond cream. Beat butter and sugar until just combined. Add vanilla and mix. Add ground almonds, follow by eggs and mix well. Do not over mix. Pipe the cream into tart shells and bake for 20 minutes.

6）Prepare caramel cream. Place sugar and glucose in a saucepan and heat until sugar caramelise. Gradually add cream while stirring with a spatula. Mix until smooth. Remove from heat and leave to cool slightly. Add unsalted butter. ( I save this step by using Nestle instant caramel)

7）Bake assorted nuts in the oven for 20 minutes at 150 C without preheating oven.

8) Stir toasted nuts and dried fruits into caramel cream. Spoon mixture onto prepared shells and serve.

Recipe adapted from: Okashi-sweet treats made with love, pg 125