These walnut tartlets pair crisp cocoa shells with a rum-soaked walnut filling and a swirl of silky chocolate ganache cream.
They are a bite-size version of “Opitý Izidor” (“Drunken Izidor”), a rum-walnut chocolate slice popular at Christmas in Slovakia and Czechia. They take a little more work than some cookies, but they can be made in stages: the dough rests overnight and the finished tartlets get better after a couple of days.
Quick Overview
- What it is: Mini tartlets in the style of the famous Izidor slice, with a cocoa shell, rum-walnut filling and chocolate cream.
- The secret trick: A ganache beaten with butter that holds its shape even at room temperature.
- Timing: Make the dough a day ahead, then bake and decorate.
At a Glance
- Prep time: 45 min
- Baking time: 17 min
- Servings: 75 to 80 tartlets
- Difficulty: Medium
- Calories: about 100 kcal per tartlet
- Trend: Christmas bestseller
Ingredients
For the cocoa tartlet shells
- 1 2/3 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (50 g) powdered sugar
- 8 1/2 tablespoons (120 g) cold butter
- 2 packages (16 g) vanilla sugar, 8 g each (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
For the walnut filling
- 3 cups (300 g) finely ground walnuts
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (140 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) rum (do not skimp, it makes the flavor)
For the chocolate cream
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (200 ml) heavy cream (at least 33% fat)
- 7 oz (200 g) high-quality dark chocolate, high cocoa percentage
- 1 stick plus 2 1/2 tablespoons (150 g) soft butter
Instructions
- Make the dough (a day ahead): Mix all the dry ingredients (flour, powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, cocoa) in a bowl. Add the cold butter and the yolks. Work the dough quickly until it just comes together. Do not knead it for long, or the warm hands will make it greasy and the baked shells rubbery. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate until the next day.
- Bake the tartlet shells: Take the rested dough out of the refrigerator. Do not grease the molds, because the dough is buttery enough. Pinch off small pieces of dough and press them with your thumb into small tartlet molds in a thin layer. The dough must follow the shape of the mold and leave a good hollow in the middle for the filling. Bake in an oven preheated to 340°F (170°C) for about 17 minutes. Let cool and pop out the shells (they release by themselves).
- Start the chocolate cream (ganache): Heat the cream until just below boiling (do not boil). Pour the hot cream over the broken chocolate in a bowl. Let it stand a few minutes so the heat does its work, then stir until smooth. Leave it on the counter at room temperature until it reaches 77 to 86°F (25 to 30°C), about an hour; it must cool but still be liquid.
- Finish the cream: Add the soft butter to the cooled chocolate mixture and blend smooth with an immersion blender. Chill the cream briefly so it firms up enough to pipe, but check it so it does not set rock hard.
- Make the filling: Simply mix the ground walnuts, powdered sugar and rum in a bowl. Let it stand a while so the nuts soak up the liquid and the flavors combine.
- Fill and decorate: Press a small mound of walnut filling into each cooled shell with a spoon or your fingers. Spoon the chocolate cream into a piping bag fitted with a tip (a closed star tip is ideal). Pipe a rosette onto each tartlet in a circular motion.
- Store: Chill the finished tartlets until firm and keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They taste best after 2 to 3 days, when the flavors have come together.
Video Recipe
Tips for Perfect Walnut Tartlets
- If the cream gets too firm in the refrigerator to pipe, warm it in the microwave for 3 to 5 seconds (no more!) and knead the piping bag. It softens and is easy to work with.
- For extra shine and crunch, top each finished rosette with a walnut half or a sugar pearl.
Variations
- With jam: For a fresher taste, put a drop of red currant jam in the bottom of each shell before the walnut filling.
- White version: If you do not like cocoa, leave it out of the dough and use white chocolate instead of dark in the cream (the cream will be sweeter).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I make the dough on the same day? Yes, but it must rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours so it is easy to handle and does not stick.
How long do the tartlets keep? In an airtight container in the refrigerator they keep for about a week, and they taste best after 2 to 3 days once the flavors have come together.
Do the tartlets contain alcohol? Yes. The filling has 1/2 cup (120 ml) of rum that is not cooked, so alcohol remains. They are not suitable for children.
Can I freeze the dough? Butter doughs like this one usually freeze well. We have not tested it. Wrap the dough tightly and thaw it in the refrigerator before pressing it into the molds.
What if I do not have a piping bag? Spoon the cream onto each tartlet, or use a zip-top bag with a corner cut off. The rosettes will just be less defined.
The recipe is based on a version by Anna Balážová, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
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