Salted Caramel Almond Tarts
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1-2 tablespoons ice water
1/3 cup chopped almonds
6 tablespoons Salted Caramel Sauce
1/4 teaspoon Fleur de Sel or coarse salt
Note: Any type of nuts you would like to substitute for the almonds, such as hazelnuts, walnuts or pecans would work. Chopped bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips could also be used instead of the nuts for a salted caramel chocolate tart.
Preheat the oven to 350. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray 4 individual tart shells with non-stick spray.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Scatter the butter over the flour and cut in with a pastry cutter so that mixture is crumbly, but there are still visible pieces of butter remaining. Add the water, a little at a time, working it in quickly with your hands, just until you're able to gather the dough together into a ball. Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Press into the bottom and sides of the tart shells.
Divide the almonds between the tart shells, then pour the caramel sauce (warm it slightly if needed) over the almonds.
Bake for 25 minutes, just until the visible edges of the crust are pale golden. Caramel will be bubbly and liquid, but will set up quickly as the tarts cool. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, or until caramel is set, then turn tarts out onto a serving plate. Sprinkle with the Fleur de Sel and serve warm or room temperature. (Note: If you reheat the tarts later, do it carefully! The caramel heats very quickly in the microwave.)
Yields 4 servings.
Recipe from Curly Girl Kitchen