Mrs Fields Caramel Chocolate Tartlets Recipe 485

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F. In large bowl, combine all crust ingredients; mix with electric mixer at low speed until well combined. Divide dough into 24 equal pieces; roll into balls. Press each in bottom and up sides of ungreased miniature muffin cup.
• Bake at 450°F. for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove crusts from pans; place on wire racks. Cool 15 minutes or until completely cooled.
• In heavy 1 1/2-quart saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and water; mix well. With pastry brush dipped in water, brush any sugar down sides of saucepan. Without stirring, cook over medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture turns dark golden brown. (If sugar mixture is not cooking, gently swirl mixture in saucepan.) Remove from heat. While stirring constantly, add 1 tablespoon butter and whipping cream; stir until bubbling stops. Return saucepan to low heat; cook and stir until mixture is smooth.
• Spoon 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture into each cooled baked crust. Stir chocolate chips into remaining caramel mixture until melted and smooth. If mixture thickens, cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Spoon about 1 teaspoon chocolate filling into each crust.
• Chop candy coating; place in microwave-safe small bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds; stir until melted and smooth. If necessary, microwave an additional 10 seconds. Place in heavy-duty food storage plastic bag; cut tiny hole in one corner. On waxed paper, pipe 24 (1-inch) tree shapes. Let stand until set. Garnish each tartlet with a tree.

Steps:

• In medium bowl combine flour, sugar and butter with a pastry cutter until dough resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolks, vanilla. Gradually add ice water until dough can be shaped into a ball. Or, use a food processor fitted with a metal blade to combine flour, sugar and butter until resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolks, vanilla and ice water by Tablespoonfuls, and process until dough begins to form a ball. Flatten dough into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap or place in plastic bag. Chill 1 hour or until firm. On floured board using a floured rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut 4 inch rounds to fit into 3 1/2 inch diameter tart pans. Gently press into tart pans and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove tart shells from refrigerator and prick bottoms with a fork. Bake 13-15 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden brown. Cool tart shells to room temperature. To prepare the caramel filling: Combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Place over medium heat, and stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Turn heat to high and boil without stirring for 2 minutes, or until large bubbles form. Remove from heat and stir in cream. Cool caramel 5 minutes and then pour into tart shells. Cool caramel tartlets to room temperature. Use a vegetable peeler to slowly and carefully shave curls from the chocolate bar. SPrinkle tartlets with chocolate curls. Yield:8 tartlets