Salted Caramel Walnuts Tarts

Salted Caramel Walnuts Tarts
12 mini tarts

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
  
• 1-2 tablespoons ice water
  
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  
• 6 tablespoons Caramel Sauce (recipe below)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
  
• 6 Tbsp butter
  
• ½ cup heavy cream
  
• 1 tsp vanilla

For Caramel Sauce Directions

1. Place sugar in heavy bottomed pan over medium to medium-high heat. Watch carefully. When sugar begins to melt, slowly stir to prevent burning.
2. After sugar is melted fully, reduce heat and add softened butter. Stir well until combined.
3. Remove from heat and add cream. Stir until combined and add vanilla. Store in the fridge after the caramel has cooled.

For Tarts Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. in Muffin & Cupcake Pans, (12 cupcakes) Spray with non-stick spray.
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Scatter the butter over the flour and cut in with a pastry cutter so that mixture is crumbly, but there are still visible pieces of butter remaining. Add the water, a little at a time, working it in quickly with your hands, just until you’re able to gather the dough together into a ball. Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Press into the bottom and sides of the cupcake pans.
3. Divide the walnuts between the tart shells, then pour the caramel sauce (warm it slightly if needed) over the walnuts.
4. Bake for 25 minutes, just until the visible edges of the crust are pale golden. Caramel will be bubbly and liquid, but will set up quickly as the tarts cool. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, or until caramel is set. dd an extra walnut and teaspoon caramel sauce on each tartlet. . Sprinkle kosher salt if desired and serve warm or room temperature.

Note: Any type of nuts you would like to substitute for the walnuts , such as hazelnuts, almonds or pecans would work. Chopped bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips could also be used instead of the nuts for a salted caramel chocolate tart.