Dulce de Leche Tartlets with Mirror Glaze
I poured the glaze too hot the first time, and the top of the dome slid off in a slow brown puddle. Kind of sad to watch at 11 at night. Now I keep a thermometer in the pitcher and wait for 104°F, no matter how impatient I’m getting, and the domes come straight from the freezer, rock hard, because a half-thawed one won’t hold a clean coat.
It’s a weekend project, honestly. I split it over two days: shells, ganache, mousse and glaze on Saturday, then the pour and the assembly on Sunday morning. Buy canned dulce de leche. I’ve cooked my own and couldn’t taste enough difference to justify the hours. We eat these after dinner with a small black coffee.
These dulce de leche tartlets with mirror glaze look like they came out of a bakery case. A cold caramel mousse dome hides a soft coffee center, and it sits on a crisp cocoa shell with a toasty pecan layer inside. They'll keep 2 days in the fridge, though the shine is at its best on day one.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Whisk the flour, hazelnut flour, cocoa and salt in a large bowl, then rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mix looks sandy. Stir in the powdered sugar and 1 1/2 tbsp of the beaten eggs until the dough just comes together. Cover the rest of the beaten eggs and refrigerate them for the pecan cream. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it and chill for 1 hour.1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup hazelnut flour, 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp fine salt, 7 tbsp cold unsalted butter, 7 tbsp powdered sugar, 2 large eggs
- Roll the dough 1/8 inch thick between two sheets of parchment. Line the 8 tart rings on a parchment-lined baking sheet, trim the tops flat and prick the bases with a fork, then freeze for 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 325°F. Bake the shells for 15 minutes, until they look dry and smell of cocoa, and leave the oven on.
- Toast the pecans on a small sheet in the oven for 8 minutes, let them cool, then grind them to a coarse flour in the food processor. Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with the hand mixer until pale. Beat in the reserved eggs a little at a time, then stir in the ground pecans. Divide the cream among the shells, level it and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden and just set. Cool completely, then lift off the rings.3/4 cup pecan halves, 1/3 cup unsalted butter, 6 tbsp granulated sugar
- Put the blond chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Bring the 3 tbsp cream and the espresso powder to a simmer, pour over the chocolate, wait 1 minute and stir until glossy. Let it thicken for 20 minutes, then spoon 8 flat rounds, 1 1/2 inches wide, onto a parchment-lined plate. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.4 1/4 oz blond chocolate, 3 tbsp heavy cream, 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
- Sprinkle the envelope of gelatin over the 3 tbsp cold water and let it swell. Whip the chilled cream to soft peaks and refrigerate it. Blend the dulce de leche, milk and egg yolks in a saucepan with the immersion blender, then cook over low heat, stirring, until the mix reaches 180°F. Take it off the heat, stir in the softened gelatin and strain into a bowl. Cool to 95°F, then fold in the whipped cream in two additions.1 envelope unflavored powdered gelatin, 3 tbsp cold water, 3/4 cup heavy cream, 2/3 cup canned dulce de leche, 1/3 cup whole milk, 3 large egg yolks
- Fill 8 cavities of the half-sphere mold two-thirds full with the mousse. Press a frozen ganache round into each one, cover with more mousse and level the tops with a spatula. Freeze overnight, until rock hard.
- Sprinkle the 2 tsp gelatin over the 3 tbsp cold water and let it swell. Put the dark chocolate in a tall, narrow container. Heat the water, sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan to 217°F to 221°F, stirring. Off the heat, stir in the condensed milk, then the softened gelatin until dissolved. Pour over the chocolate, wait 1 minute and blend with the immersion blender, keeping the head under the surface so no air gets in. Strain, press plastic wrap onto the surface and chill for at least 8 hours.2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin, 3 tbsp cold water, 2 1/2 oz 70% dark chocolate, 1/3 cup water, 5 tbsp granulated sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup, 3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- Warm the glaze in the microwave in 15 to 30 second bursts, stirring gently between each, until fluid, without going over 113°F. Let it cool to 104°F. Unmold the frozen domes onto a wire rack set over a rimmed sheet. Pour the glaze over each dome in one steady pass, starting at the top and covering the sides. Let it drip for 1 minute, then run a small knife around the base to cut off the drips.
- Lift each dome with an offset spatula and set it in the center of a shell. Press about 5 petals onto each dome while the glaze is still tacky. Refrigerate for 3 hours, until the mousse has thawed, and serve cold.40 edible flower petals
Nutrition
Notes
No blond chocolate? Bake chopped white chocolate at 250°F for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until it turns the color of peanut butter, then let it set. Leftover glaze keeps 1 week in the fridge and rewarms the same way.
You might also like our Traditional French Custard Tart.
made these for my sisters bday and split it over 2 days like you said. couldnt find blond chocolate so i toasted white in the oven, worked fine. the 104 on the glaze is no joke, my first dome went on at 110 and it ran way too thin
tasty but my shells came out a little thick so the dome looked small sitting on top. rolling thinner next time. the pecan layer is honestly the best part