Mocha Almond Tarts Recipes

ALMOND TARTS

Steps:

• For the shells: Pulse together the granulated sugar, flour and salt in a food processor to combine. Add the butter and continue to pulse until mealy. Add the egg yolks (reserve the egg whites for the filling) and pulse until the dough comes together. Press the dough into a disc, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to overnight.
• To mold the shells, grease a muffin tin with nonstick spray. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/4-inch-thick, dusting with more flour as needed. Cut out 3-inch circles and press them into the muffin cups so that the dough comes all the way up the sides. (No worries if the dough tears; just patch it up with additional dough.) Freeze the shells for 15 minutes.
• For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the almond meal, granulated sugar, salt, and butter, either by blending it in the food processor (no need to clean it out after making the dough, you can just use it immediately for this step), or by stirring it together in a large bowl (I find it's easiest to get in there with my hands). Add the almond extract, egg and the reserved egg whites from the shells, and continue to blend/stir until smooth and combined.
• Fill the frozen shells with the filling so that it comes up about 1/4-inch from the top. Bake until the tops and edges are lightly browned; begin checking for doneness at 30 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then use a small offset spatula or a knife to remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the glaze: If making the glaze with heavy cream, combine the powdered sugar, heavy cream and almond extract in a bowl until smooth. Add additional powdered sugar or liquid to thicken it up or thin it out so that you get the consistency of a thick glue.
• To make the glaze with the raspberries, place the raspberries in a fine-mesh sieve and give them a rinse. Place the sieve over a bowl and use a stiff rubber spatula or wooden spoon to smash them through the sieve into the bowl until you're just left with seeds in the sieve. Be sure to scrape the underside of the sieve to get the stuff that's sticking to it. (You should be left with about 2 tablespoons seedless puree. If it's a tiny bit more or a tiny bit less, that's fine.) Add the powdered sugar and almond extract and mix to make a thick glaze. If it's too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it out, and if it's too thin, add a few more spoonfuls of powdered sugar. It should be the consistency of a thick glue.
• Spread the glaze over the cooled tarts and decorate with sprinkles, almonds and anything else you'd like! These will keep for several days at room temperature or in the fridge.

ALMOND TORTE WITH MOCHA WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F (180C).
• Prepare 2 8 inch (20cm) round cake pans by greasing them and lining them with waxed paper cut to fit.
• In a blender combine the eggs and sugar at high speed until smooth. Add almonds and blend until they are very finely ground. Add flour and baking powder and blend until combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake at 350F (180C0 for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Let cakes cool (about 5 min) before removing from the pans. Let cool completely before icing.
• Optional to pour 1-2 T amaretto liqueur on bottom layer for decadence.

MOCHA ALMOND TARTS

Steps:

• 1. In medium bowl beat milk, pudding mix and coffee crystals with wire whisk for 1 minute. Whisk in whipped topping.2. Reserve 2 tablespoons almonds for garnish. Coarsely chop remaining almonds and fold into chocolate mixture. Spread in crusts. Refrigerate or freeze at least 2 hours.3. If frozen, let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with reserved almonds. Store in refrigerator or freezer.*NOTE: To toast almonds, spread evenly on baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown, stirring once or twice.

TOASTED ALMOND MOCHA ICE-CREAM TART

Steps:

• Make the crust:
• In a bowl stir together with a fork the wafer crumbs, the almonds, and the butter until the mixture is combined well, pat the mixture onto the bottom and side of an oiled 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable rim, and freeze the crust for 30 minutes, or until it is firm.
• Make the filling:
• In a food processor blend the almonds, scraping down the sides occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until they form a nut butter, and with the motor running add the Amaretto. Add the ice cream and the chocolate and pulse the motor 6 to 8 times, or until the filling is smooth and combine well.
• Transfer the filling to the crust, spreading it evenly. Garnish the top of the tart with the almonds and the chocolate and freeze the tart, uncovered, for 1 hour. Cover the tart with plastic wrap and freeze it overnight.

MOCHA ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the egg yolks until light, and add the melted chocolate, stirring to combine.
• Add the sifted flour mixture alternating with the coffee, beating just enough to incorporate them.
• Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks in a separate bowl and fold into the batter along with the almonds.
• Pour into a greased tube or Bundt pan and bake in a preheated 350F (180V) oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
• Cool a little before removing from the pan.
• Cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar.

DIANE'S ALMOND TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup cornstarch. Shape into a ball and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness, cut into appropriate size circles with a glass or cookie cutter and press into tart shells. Spoon 1 teaspoon jam into bottom of each shell.
• In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in rice flour and cocoa powder. Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons almond extract. Fill tarts 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and filling is set. Allow to cool.
• In a small bowl, Stir together 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Spread on tarts. Garnish each tart with a maraschino cherry.

MOCHA-ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Mocha Frosting:.
• Dissolve instant coffee in the 1 Tbsp. milk. In a mixer bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer for 30 sec. Beat in 1 1/2c. of the powdered sugar and the melted unsweetened chocolate. Add egg yolks and the dissolved coffee crystals, beating till the mixture is well blended. Add the remaining powdered sugar and additional milk to make a fluffy frosting consistency.
• Slice the loaf cake horizontally into 3 layers. Beat together almond paste and the 3 tbsp water. Spread the bottom cake layer with 1/3c of the almond paste mixture. Top with the next cake layer and repeat layering with remaining almond paste mixture and 1/2c. of the frosting. Top with the remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle sliced almonds atop. Store cake, covered, in the fridge.