Bittersweet Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts

These Bittersweet Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts are decadent and delicious. They are seriously elegant, and perfect for a small party or a romantic dinner for two.

This recipe for chocolate caramel pecan tarts makes two 4 inch tarts. It's up to you as to how many servings that is. I like a quarter piece, and Mr. Kitchen can easily polish off half a tart (he has the skinny gene). The recipe can also be easily scaled and adapted for a muffin tin or a larger tart. Just bring your geometry skills.

This caramel pecan tart recipe is small batch, just like these chocolate covered cherry almond tarts, these apple tartlets with almond crunch, and these chocolate and caramel tiny tartlets. They are perfect for a romantic dinner for two or a family Valentine's Day dinner.

One of my favorite ways to serve these tarts is on fancy bone china. I'm old enough to have gotten married in the day when you registered for fancy china dishes before your wedding (as well as crystal and silverware) and people would gift you with a single place setting, or even a single plate. I still have the dishes and silverware... alas only a few pieces of the crystal have survived.

These tartlets are so elegant that they deserve to show off on fancy English china!

Ingredients you will need for these chocolate caramel pecan tarts:

• Pie crust dough, homemade or store bought
• Pecan halves
• Bittersweet chocolate
• Brown sugar
• Heavy cream
• Butter
• Pecans

Equipment you might also need to make these tarts:

• 4 inch tart pans with removable bottoms (these are all affiliate links)
• A mini food processor for making the pie crust dough
• Pie weights

My suggestion for a holiday party is to buy a couple of six-packs of mini tart pans and triple this recipe. You will have an elegant dessert for up to 36 people if you add whipped cream or a small scoop of ice cream. You will be a rock star.

How to make these Bittersweet Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts:

First, you will need to make and par-bake the crusts for these tarts. You will need to shape the dough into 6 inch circles. I used a 6 inch cake pan for a pattern to cut the dough. This is especially helpful if you are using pre-made pie dough.

After you have par-baked the crusts, you will need to melt some chopped chocolate over the bottom of the crusts and bake for just two minutes. Pull the tarts out of the oven and spread the bittersweet chocolate over the bottom to even it out.

Next, you will need to cook the pecans with some butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream and then spread it over the chocolate in the tart pans.

You will bake the tarts for about 15 minutes, until the mixture is caramelized.

Finally, after the tarts have cooled, drizzle some melted chocolate over the top of the tarts before serving.

Bittersweet Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts Recipe Variations:

While I used pecans in these tarts, you can use a combination of nuts, such as walnuts, blanched almonds, or peanuts.

You can also substitute store-bought pie crust dough for the homemade dough. 

Welcome to this week's From Our Dinner Table. Our theme this week is Sweet Valentine's Day Desserts.

Sweet Valentine's Day Desserts

• Bittersweet Chocolate Pecan Tarts by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Burrata with Cherries in Wine by Art of Natural Living
• Cake Batter Fudge by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Chocolate Coconut Dream Martini by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Easy Mississippi Mud Pie by That Recipe
• Keto Chocolate Mug Cake by Our Good Life
• Sweetheart Brownies by Red Cottage Chronicles
• Valentine Brown Sugar Bars by Family Around the Table
• Valentine's M&M's Cookie Bars by Blogghetti

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

Bittersweet Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts 

These Bittersweet Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts are elegant, delicious, and make the most of the caramelized pecans in this recipe. 

If you make them, let me know on Instagram or in the comments below.

This is an update from November, 2013. I've added a recipe card and some new photos. It was super fun making this again, especially since my grandsons gave this recipe their seal of approval. 

Bittersweet Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts

Yield: 4 to 8 servings

Author: Karen Kerr

These Bittersweet Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts are decadent and delicious. They are seriously elegant, and perfect for a small party or dinner for two.

ingredients:

For the Crust

• 1/2 Cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 3 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 4 teaspoons ice water

For the Tarts

• 2 partially baked pastry shell crusts
• 2 1/2 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 2 Tablespoons salted butter
• 1/4 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 Cup pecan halves

instructions:

How to cook Bittersweet Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts

To Make the Crust

1. In the bowl of a small food processor, pulse the flour and sugar.
2. Add the butter, and pulse about 10 times.
3. Add the water, and pulse until you have small beads of dough. Add more water if the dough is too dry.
4. Dump the dough beads out onto the counter and pull it together.
5. Cut it into two equal parts, form two disks, and wrap and refrigerate each disk for 30 minutes more.
6. Roll each disk out to about a 6 inch round and place it into the tart pan. Prick with a fork, line with foil, and place weights into the foil. Place the tart pans onto a baking sheet.
7. Bake at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven, remove the foil and pie weights, and let cool. 

To Make the Tarts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Add 1 1/2 ounces of the chocolate to the bottom of the partially baked tart dough and bake for about 2 minutes and remove from the oven.
3. Spread the chocolate with an off set spatula to smooth. Cool completely.
4. In a small saucepan, add the butter and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring constantly, for about one minute.
5. Add the cream, and then add the nuts. Stir.
6. Divide the sugar and  nut mixture between the two tart pans, and bake for about 15 minutes.
7. Cool the tarts on a wire rack.
8. Melt the rest of the chocolate in a microwave, and drizzle over the tarts.
9. Let harden. Can be kept in an airtight container.

Calories
297.94

Fat (grams)
22.35

Sat. Fat (grams)
9.98

Carbs (grams)
21.01

Fiber (grams)
3.09

Net carbs
17.91

Sugar (grams)
4.98

Protein (grams)
4.63

Sodium (milligrams)
63.65

Cholesterol (grams)
28.81

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2013/11/bittersweet-chocolate-caramel-pecan.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

tarts, chocolate, pecans

Dessert

American

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