Introduction

These White Chocolate Mousse Tartlets combine a smooth, creamy mousse with a crisp, spiced tart crust for a delightful dessert. Light yet indulgent, they’re perfect for special occasions or an elegant treat.

A small tart with three bright red strawberries on top, placed in the center of the tart. The tart has a light brown, crispy crust as the bottom layer. Above the crust is a smooth, pale yellow cream filling. Around the strawberries, there is a circle of piped creamy white whipped cream, adding texture and volume. The tart edges and cream have a light dusting of white powdered sugar. The tart sits on a black plate with scattered cocoa nibs and powdered sugar on the plate surface, all set on a white marbled texture background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 egg yolks (for mousse)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for mousse)
1 cup heavy cream (divided for mousse)
80 grams white chocolate (high quality recommended, such as Ghirardelli, Lindt, or Callebaut)
350 grams all-purpose flour (for tart crust)
125 grams unsalted butter, cold and cubed (for tart crust)
125 grams sugar (for tart crust)
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk (for tart crust)
Pinch of salt (for tart crust)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (for tart crust)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (for tart crust)

Instructions

Step 1: In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons sugar together until pale and smooth. Heat 1/4 cup of the cream in a double boiler until warm.
Step 2: Pour the warm cream over the egg yolk mixture, stir well, then return to heat and cook gently until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Step 3: Pour the hot mixture over chopped white chocolate and stir until melted. Allow to cool completely.
Step 4: Beat the remaining cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold this whipped cream into the cooled chocolate mixture.
Step 5: Refrigerate the mousse until you are ready to assemble the tartlets.
Step 6: Preheat the oven to 190ºC (374ºF). In a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon.
Step 7: Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Step 8: Add the sugar, then the eggs and egg yolk, pulsing until a dough forms.
Step 9: Wrap the dough in greaseproof paper and refrigerate for 1 hour to chill.
Step 10: Roll out the chilled dough and cut it to fit tartlet tins or muffin trays.
Step 11: Line the tartlets with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, then bake for another 5 minutes until golden. Cool on wire racks.
Step 12: Spoon the white chocolate mousse into the cooled tart shells. Optionally, garnish with fresh berries or a dusting of cinnamon and icing sugar before serving.

Tips & Variations

For extra flavor depth, consider adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the mousse mixture before folding in the cream.
If cayenne pepper is too spicy, reduce the amount or omit it; the cinnamon alone adds warm spice to the crust.
Use silicone tartlet molds if available to help with easy removal and neat edges.
Swap fresh berries for a drizzle of raspberry coulis for a fruity contrast to the sweet mousse.

Storage

Store assembled tartlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. For best texture, add garnishes such as fresh berries just before serving. If you need to store the tart shells separately, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

How to Serve

A small tart with three layers is shown on a dark board placed on a white marbled texture. The bottom layer is a golden brown crust with a scalloped edge. The middle layer is a smooth, pale yellow cream that fills the tart base. The top layer has thick, piped swirls of white cream forming a circular border, with three bright red strawberries sitting in the center, lightly dusted with powdered sugar. More tarts like this are blurred in the background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the tart crust ahead of time?

Yes, the tart crust dough can be prepared and chilled up to 2 days in advance. Blind bake the shells just before assembling the mousse to keep them crisp.

Is it safe to use raw egg yolks in the mousse?

This recipe gently cooks the egg yolks in the cream mixture, which reduces the risk associated with raw eggs. However, using pasteurized eggs is a safer option if you are concerned.