Mandelmusslor (Almond - Cream Tartlets With Berry Sauce)

Published in Saveur magazine, December 2009.

• Ready In: 42 mins
• Serves: 32

Ingredients

• Dough

• 1⁄2 cup  whole  blanched almond
• 1  cup sugar
• 2 1⁄3 cups flour
• 15  tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• Berry Sauce

• 1  cup  lingonberries (fresh or frozen) or 1  cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1  tablespoon  fresh orange juice

• Cream

• 1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream
• 1⁄2 cup  vanilla sugar

Directions

1. Dough:.
2. Finely chop almonds in a food processor. Add 3/4 cup sugar and process until very finely ground. Add the flour and pulse until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Transfer dough to a work surface and knead briefly until smooth.
3. Heat oven to 400°F
4. Divide dough into 32 equal pieces, about 1 ounce each. Press each dough piece into the bottom and sides of a 2-ounce baking tin (1 7/8" x 1 3/8"). Trim edges of each dough mold and place molded pastry crusts on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper; refrigerate for 30 minutes. Prick the bottom of each pastry crust with a fork and bake until golden and set, 12-14 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
5. Berry Sauce:.
6. Heat remaining sugar, lingonberries or raspberries, and orange juice in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until berries break down and sugar dissolves, 10 minutes; set aside to let cool completely.
7. Cream:.
8. In a large bowl, whisk the heavy cream until soft peaks form; slowly add vanilla sugar to cream and beat until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
9. Assembly:.
10. Fill each cooled pastry crust with a heaping tablespoon of the whipped cream and top with a teaspoon of the berry sauce.