HAZELNUT CARAMEL MINI TARTS

Steps:

• Butter 30 metal mini muffin cups.
• Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and blend, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add 5 tablespoons cream and vanilla and blend, using on/off turns, just until mixture begins to clump together, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry.
• Press 2 teaspoonfuls dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of each prepared mini muffin cup. Pierce tart crusts all over with fork. Freeze crusts 30 minutes before baking.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Bake frozen crusts until golden and baked through, about 25 minutes.
• Transfer to rack and cool crusts in muffin cups 10 minutes. Carefully loosen crusts from muffin cups. Transfer crusts to rimmed baking sheet and cool completely.
• Place 2 to 3 hazelnuts (or equivalent of chopped hazelnuts) in each crust.
• For caramel filling:
• Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, 2 tablespoons water, and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
• Bring mixture to boil, then boil 2 minutes without stirring (mixture will bubble up and thicken slightly).
• Remove pan from heat.
• Add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously); stir until smooth.
• Pour caramel into 2-cup measuring cup; cool 10 minutes. Spoon caramel over hazelnuts in crusts, filling crusts almost to top. Refrigerate until caramel begins to firm up slightly, about 1 hour.
• Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Drizzle melted chocolate over top of tartlets. Chill until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.