Rich dark chocolate meets silky mascarpone in an irresistibly simple bite-sized dessert.
Sometimes the simplest desserts are the ones people come back to. These chocolate and mascarpone cream tartlets require just a handful of ingredients, but the result is wonderfully indulgent. A crisp pastry shell is filled with a smooth dark chocolate and mascarpone mixture, then finished with a dusting of cocoa or delicate chocolate shavings.
They’re perfect for dinner parties, afternoon tea, celebrations or whenever you want an elegant dessert without spending hours in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- Pasteles Bakehouse pastry shells
- 100g good-quality dark chocolate
- 300g mascarpone cheese
- Cocoa powder, for dusting
- Dark chocolate shavings, to decorate (optional)
- Fresh berries, to serve (optional)
Method
1. Melt the chocolate
Break the dark chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Melt gently over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
Alternatively, melt the chocolate in the microwave in short 15–20 second bursts, stirring between each burst until smooth.
Allow the melted chocolate to cool slightly.
2. Add the mascarpone
Add the mascarpone to the melted chocolate and gently mix until the two ingredients are completely combined and smooth.
Avoid overmixing, as you want to retain the rich, creamy texture.
3. Fill the pastry shells
Spoon the chocolate and mascarpone mixture into the pastry shells. For a more elegant finish, transfer the mixture to a piping bag and pipe it into each shell.
Smooth the tops with the back of a small spoon if desired.
4. Decorate
Just before serving, lightly dust the tartlets with cocoa powder or finish with delicate dark chocolate shavings.
For a fresh contrast to the richness of the chocolate, serve with a few fresh raspberries or strawberries.
Make ahead
The chocolate and mascarpone filling can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. Allow it to soften slightly before filling the pastry shells so it is easy to spoon or pipe.
The result: crisp pastry filled with a rich, velvety chocolate mascarpone cream — an effortless little dessert that looks far more complicated than it actually is.