Hazelnut and thyme cream tarts

Ingredients

For the crust

The recipe is here. You will need about 80-100 g of dough in order to make 2 tart shells. of about 15 cm. The quantities vary according to the thickness you prefer for the single shells.

For the hazelnut cream

200 ml almond milk
a pinch of whole sea salt
2 tablespoons hazelnut butter
1 teaspoon thyme leaves (fresh or dried)
1 teaspoon agar agar powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch (GMO-free), dissolved in 2 tablespoons filtered water
4 tablespoons rice malt syrup

Quantities indicated here are enough for 2 tart shells of about 15 cm. To fill a single larger tart you will of course have to double or triple the quantities.

To complete

coarsely chopped hazelnuts, to taste
thyme leaves, preferably fresh, to taste
rice malt syrup, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180° C. When you’re ready to roll the dough, take it from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface, dust your rolling-pin with flour and roll the dough out to the desired thickness (3-4 mm). Oil your tart pans and sprinkle with a light coating of flour. Arrange the dough in the pans, poke a few holes in the dough with a fork to let the steam escape, and transfer the pans into the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes until nicely golden (cooking time varies according to the thickness). Let cool a tiny bit before removing the tart from the pan and filling with the cream.

To make the hazelnut cream, pour the almond milk in a pan over low heat, then add the salt. Stir, add the hazelnut butter and keep stirring until it has completely melted. Add the thyme, using a tea infuser spoon or ball, and turn the heat to medium-high. Remove the thyme/infuser after 3-5 minutes and add the agar agar, while you stir until it has dissolved. Add the cornstarch and keep stirring for a few more minutes until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat, add the rice malt syrup and stir to combine. If the texture of the cream is grainy, mix with an immersion blender to make it smoother. Set aside to cool slightly before you fill the tarts.

To complete, fill the tarts with the hazelnut cream, scatter the hazelnuts and thyme leaves over the top and drizzle with the rice malt syrup.

Posted in: autumn,baking,breakfast and brunch,desserts,tarts and pies,tea time,winter

Tagged as: agar agar, almond milk, cornstarch, extra virgin olive oil, hazelnut butter, hazelnuts, rice flour, rice malt syrup, semi-whole flour, semi-whole wheat flour, thyme, wheat flour, wholemeal flour