Caramel and Chocolate Mini Tarts
Michalak’s Krumchies or ‘Les Krumchy de Michalak’
Jump to RecipeChef Christophe Michalak’s Krumchies are ultra-delicious and have become a huge hit in the pastry! Making these little bites at home is super easy! Composed of a well-sanded dough, salted butter caramel, and chocolate, they have everything to remind you of the famous Twix candy bar, but so much better! The plus? The touch of crushed nuts that makes us all crack…
There is so much you could do with this recipe using the same ingredients. If you watched the recipe video, you might have learned about the different options and alternatives, if not, I’d gladly share them here:
Instead of making the shortcrust base with a mixture of both nuts and all-purpose flour, you can use solely all-purpose flour for the nuts-free version.
I used ground almonds with the skin because I believe they add to the flavor and color. If you prefer to, you can use bleached ground almonds for a brighter color.
Instead of almonds, I have tried that same recipe with ground hazelnuts and I can guarantee you that they taste heavenly.
For the topping, in the original recipe, Michalak uses milk chocolate. I personally prefer to use a mixture of both dark and milk chocolate. You can get more creative and use gianduja chocolate which would go perfectly with some toasted heazenuts on top.
You will need:
Besides the basic elements, a mixing bowl, a whisk, and a spatula, you will need these beautiful silicon molds to achieve the perfect round mini tarts. I used the silikomart molds Ref: 027. You do not have to use that exact same mold. Many brands offer the same molds, alternatively, you can use mini muffin tins or bigger ones, or even a whole big family-size tart. This mold can be used in many recipes both sweet and savory, you can find a few here and on the YouTube channel.
Here is a link to the Silicon mold I used:
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Watch the video recipe here:
Chocolate and Caramel Mini Tarts
Equipment
- Silicon mold https://amzn.to/3Mo8UTT
Ingredients
Shortcrust Base
- 45 g Butter 3 + 1/4 tbsp
- 35 g Sugar 2 + 3/4 tbsp
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract Or Vanilla infused sugar
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 40 g All-Purpose Flour 1/3 cup
- 20 g Ground Almonds Or nuts of choice
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- A pinch of Salt
Caramel Filling
- 100 g Sugar 1/2 cup
- 120 ml Heavy Cream 1/2 cup
- 50 g Butter 3 + 1/2 tbsp
Topping
- 100 g Milk Chocolate or Dark chocolate or a mixture of both
- Nuts of Choice
Instructions
Shortcrust Base
- Mix together butter, sugar, vanilla, and the pinch of salt until creamy.
- Add the egg yolk and mix again until well combined.
- Add the baking powder to the flour and mix together before adding them to the first mixture.
- Add the ground nuts of you are using them too, then knead the dough briefly.
- If needed, place the dough in the fridge for to be able to work with it easier.
- Divide the dough into 15 small ball dough, place them in the moulds and use the finger to slightly spread it.
- Bake for 15 minutes in a 170C / 338F preheated oven.
- As soon as you take the cookies out of the over and while they are still hot, use a cocktail muddler or the base of a shot glass to press the center of the cookies and make a whole in the center.
- Allow to cool.
Caramel
- Cook the sugar on a low to medium heat until it melts and caramelizes.
- Add the heavy cream and keep cooking until it's totally melted again.
- Add the butter and the salt and keep stirring and allow to cook for a minute before removing it from the heat.
- Immediately pour the caramel into the center of the mini tarts bases.
Topping
- Melt the chocolate and add it to the top of the mini tarts without removing them from the mould. Make sure to fill them till the top and slightly tap them again the table for the chocolate to spread evenly.
- Add the nuts of choice on top of the chocolate before it sets.
- Place the moulds in the fridge for the chocolate to harden before unmolding.