Chocolate Tarts with Satsuma Curd

A delicious way to use up a bumper crop

Ingredients:

For satsuma curd: 

  • 3 satsumas
  • 1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs

For tart dough:

  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • pinch of kosher salt
  • 1 cold stick of butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 large egg

Garnish:

  • Candied satsuma slices; powdered sugar

Special equipment:

  • Candy thermometer; tartlet pan or mini-muffin tin

Method:

For the satsuma curd:

Zest one satsuma, then juice all three, aiming for 2/3 cup juice.

Combine zest and juice in a medium saucepan along with butter and sugar, stirring over medium-low heat until ingredients melt.

Whisk in eggs and continue to cook over low heat, stirring often, for ten minutes. 

The mixture will be set when it reaches 175 F and thickly coats the back of a spoon. Pour into a pint jar and refrigerate until use. The curd will keep for a week.

For the chocolate tarts:

In the bowl of a food processor, combine dry ingredients and pulse until fully mixed. Add in butter and process until the mixture takes on a sandy texture. Add egg and process until dough comes together in a large ball.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Form into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Take dough from refrigerator and form into 1-inch balls. Grease the pan or tin and press each ball into the molds, gently coaxing the dough up the sides of each mold.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and press puffed dough back into the mold. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool pan on wire rack for five minutes. Fill tarts with curd and top with satsuma slices and sugar.