Petite Sweets Recipe

Make the dough

In a large bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 0.25 cups almond flour and 0.25 tsp salt. Add 0.25 cups cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes. Using a pastry cutter or fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter bits remaining. Stir in 0.25 cups powdered sugar until evenly distributed.

Bind the dough

Mix 0.5 tsp vanilla extract with 1 egg yolk and add to the dry mixture. Gently combine with a fork until it starts coming together. If dough seems too dry, add up to 1 tsp cold water, 1 tsp at a time. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and press into a disk, handling as little as possible. Wrap in plastic and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Form shells

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter or spray a 12-cavity mini tartlet or mini muffin pan (makes ~12 petite shells). Roll chilled dough to 1/8" (3 mm) thickness on floured surface. Cut 12 rounds slightly larger than cavities (about 2.5 inches / 6.5 cm). Gently press each round into cavity, trimming excess and forming a small rim. Chill formed shells in the pan for 10 minutes while the oven finishes preheating.

Blind-bake

Line each shell with a small round of parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Remove weights and parchment and return to oven for 3–4 minutes to dry the bottoms. Let shells cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Warm the cream

Place 4 oz finely chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring 0.5 cups heavy cream just to a simmer (bubbles at edge). Remove from heat immediately.

Make ganache

Pour hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then stir gently from center outward until smooth and glossy. Add 1 tbs unsalted butter, 1 tsp light corn syrup and 1/8 tsp sea salt; stir until incorporated. If mixture is too thick to pipe, microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring between, until softened but not hot.

Fill shells

Using a small spoon or a piping bag, fill each cooled shortbread shell nearly to the top with ganache (leave room for glaze and garnish). Smooth the tops. Refrigerate shells filled with ganache for 20–30 minutes to set but not become rock hard.

Prepare glaze

In a small bowl, gently warm 2 tbs strawberry jam with 1 tsp water (microwave 10–15 seconds or warm on stovetop) and stir until smooth and slightly runny. Strain if seeds are unwanted.

Glaze and decorate

Brush a light coat of warm jam glaze on the center of each chilled ganache tartlet (this gives shine and a fruity accent). Place half a fresh raspberry (or one small microberry) atop each tartlet. Sprinkle a pinch of toasted sliced almonds around the raspberry if using. Dust edges of the shortbread lightly with 1 tsp powdered sugar using a small sieve.

Finish and rest

Return the finished petite sweets to the refrigerator for 10 minutes to set the glaze. Bring to room temperature 10 minutes before serving for best texture.