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Pistachio Tartlets with Cream Cheese Filling and Chocolate Drizzle Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 106 reviews

A decadent and elegant Pistachio Tartlet recipe featuring a buttery shortcrust pastry filled with a smooth pistachio cream cheese cheesecake mixture, topped with melted dark chocolate and delicate decorations. Perfect for special occasions or an indulgent afternoon treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Pastry

  • 225 g plain flour (all purpose flour) (1 ¾ cups / 8oz)
  • 40 g icing sugar (powdered sugar / confectioners sugar) (⅓ cup / 1.4oz)
  • 100 g unsalted butter, chilled & cubed (7 tablespoons / 3.5oz)
  • 1 large egg, cold

Filling

  • 250 g full fat cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup caster sugar (100g / 3.5oz)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • ⅓ cup thickened cream (heavy/whipping cream), cold (80ml)
  • ¾ cup pistachio paste

Topping and Decoration

  • 30 g dark chocolate, melted
  • Decorations of choice (rose petals, raspberries, freeze dried raspberry pieces, dots of jam)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Pastry: Place the plain flour and icing sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse briefly to combine evenly.
  2. Add Butter: Add the chilled cubed unsalted butter to the flour mixture and blitz until the texture resembles coarse sand with small pieces of butter visible.
  3. Add Egg: Add the cold egg and process on low speed until large clumps start forming, indicating the dough is coming together.
  4. Form Dough Ball: Turn out the mixture and gently bring it together into a smooth ball with your hands, taking care not to over-handle it. Flatten into a 1-inch thick disk.
  5. Roll Out Pastry: On a lightly floured surface, dust the dough with a little flour and roll out gently and evenly to about 3mm (1/8 inch) thickness, turning frequently to maintain shape.
  6. Cut Tartlet Circles: Using a 9cm (3 ½ in) circle cookie cutter, cut 12 circles from the first roll and at least 6 from the second roll. Handle dough minimally to preserve texture.
  7. Fit into Muffin Tin: Using an offset spatula, lift pastry circles and gently press into each hole of a 12-hole non-stick muffin tin, ensuring the dough is pressed into the corners. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
  8. Preheat Oven: Set oven to 180°C (350°F) conventional or 160°C (320°F) fan forced.
  9. Blind Bake Tart Shells: Prick the base of each tartlet shell with a fork. Place a cupcake case or piece of baking paper into each shell and fill with rice or pie weights.
  10. Bake First Stage: Bake tartlet shells for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and baking papers carefully.
  11. Bake Second Stage: Return the tartlet shells to the oven and bake for another 7-8 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Remove and cool.
  12. Prepare Filling: In a clean large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and caster sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
  13. Add Pistachio Paste: Reserve ¼ cup of pistachio paste for rolling balls later. Add the remaining pistachio paste to the cream cheese mixture and beat until fully incorporated.
  14. Add Cream and Beat: Pour in the cold thickened cream and beat for 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  15. Form Pistachio Balls: Roll small balls (~1 teaspoon each) from the reserved pistachio paste and gently press one ball into the bottom of each baked tartlet shell.
  16. Pipe Filling: Transfer the pistachio cream cheese mixture to a piping bag and pipe it around and over the pistachio balls to fill each tartlet.
  17. Decorate: Drizzle melted dark chocolate over the tartlets and chill until set. Add decorations such as rose petals, raspberries, freeze-dried raspberry pieces or dots of jam as desired.
  18. Serve and Enjoy: Once set, remove tartlets from the tin and serve chilled for a delightful pistachio dessert experience.
  19. Feedback Encouraged: Please leave a comment and rating if you try the recipe; your feedback is appreciated and helpful.

Notes

  • Chilling the pastry dough for at least 2 hours or overnight is crucial for maintaining structure and preventing shrinkage while baking.
  • Using a food processor helps to achieve the correct pastry texture quickly but can be done by hand with cold butter if necessary.
  • If desired, homemade pistachio paste can be used instead of store-bought to enhance freshness and flavor.
  • Blind baking ensures the pastry is crisp and fully cooked before adding the moist filling, preventing sogginess.
  • Handle the dough minimally to keep it flaky and tender in the tart crusts.
  • Decorations are optional but add visual appeal and extra flavor contrasts.

Keywords: pistachio tartlets, pistachio cheesecake tartlets, tartlets recipe, pistachio dessert, cream cheese tart, easy tartlets

Find it online: https://dailysimplerecipe.com/pistachio-tartlets-with-cream-cheese-filling-and-chocolate-drizzle-recipe/