Mini Chocolate Shortbread Tarts are a Hanukkah dream come true! Made with Walkers Mini Shortbread Hanukkah Stars for a rich tart crust and festive topping.
This post is sponsored by Walkers Shortbread but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support WJWE!
How cute are these Walkers Mini Shortbread Hanukkah Stars?!?
There are tons of Christmas cookies out there (gingerbread, crushed up candy cane cookies, sugar cookie trees, etc. etc. etc.), but not too many Hanukkah cookies. Until now! Move over gelt, Walkers Mini Shortbread Hanukkah Stars are in town. Plus, I got a coupon for you all. Use the code AK15HOLIDAY to save 15% off your Walkers Shortbread order!
I’m sure you know the classic Walkers Shortbread. Maybe your Bubbe kept her sewing kit in one of their famous tins?
They have been around for over 122 years (!) Joseph Walker (hence the name) started the business with his bakery in Aberlour in the Scottish Highlands. To this day, all their products are made there or 16 miles away in a small town called Elgin. How cute is that? Now Joseph’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren continue their tradition. Don’t you just love that? I love the tradition of baking rugelach as my mom, Bubbe, and great grandma did.
The Walker family still uses the same wonderfully simple recipe that Joseph created, and they bake it in small batches to keep the quality high. The shortbread is made using only four ingredients: flour, pure creamery butter, sugar and salt. With no artificial flavorings, colorings, or preservatives, and they are all Kosher OUD.
Now these shortbread cookies are tasty on their own. Trust me, I ate a few bags and promised I’d send my mom a few too since she LOVES shortbread. But I wanted to get creative with a cute but easy festive dessert.
Mini Chocolate Shortbread Tarts is what I came up with! I used some shortbread cookies to make the crust, then filled it with a simple chocolate ganache, classic whipped cream, and more shortbread star cookies and gelt! A sprinkle of cocoa or sumac if you’re feeling sassy for a tart touch, and these are ready to eat. The best part (besides eating them) is that I used a muffin tin to make them so you don’t need a fancy tart tin. But if you have one, you can use it!
The recipe makes just eight tarts, which is perfect for our social distance Hanukkah celebrations this year. My husband and I ate all eight over a few days, so it’s perfect no matter how small your party. The leftovers refrigerate great, and you can freeze the tarts before you add the toppings if you like. What more could you ask for?
Here is a gratuitous close-up shot.
OMG I just realized you can eat one each of the 8 nights of Hanukkah! Perfection. It’s like I planned that.
One more photo with my hand for size reference. Ignore my quarantine manicure.
Mini Chocolate Shortbread Tarts
Ingredients
For Tart Crust
- 2 cups crushed Walkers Shortbread Hanukkah Stars (2 bags, plus more stars for decorating)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
For Ganache Filling
- 8 ounces dark or semi-sweet chocolate bars or chips (2 baking bars, 223 g)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy cream (8 oz)
For Toppings
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 8 or more Walkers Shortbread Hanukkah Stars
- 8 or more pieces of chocolate gelt
- 2 tablespoons sumac or cocoa powder for garnish
Instructions
- First, make the crust. In a food processor, pulse together two bags of Walkers Shortbread Hanukkah Stars. You should have two cups of crumbs.
- In a large bowl, mix together the crumbs with the butter using a spoon or your hands until well combined. Mold the crust mixture evenly into 8 muffin tin cups, making sure to press the crust down along the bottom and up the sides about halfway.
- Chill the crusts for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the crusts for 5-6 minutes or until set. Let cool.
- Then make the ganache. Break up the chocolate into small pieces and put it in a medium heat-proof bowl with the salt. Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat just until it comes to a light simmer. Do not boil. Gently pour the cream over the chocolate and wait 1-2 minutes to let the cream melt the chocolate before stirring until smooth.
- Spoon the ganache evenly into the crust tins and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until set. Gently remove the tarts from the pan- they should slide out pretty easily because butter.
- To make the whipped cream, pour the cold cream into a large bowl and beat with a standmixer, handmixer or whisk until medium peaks form. Add the sugar and beat until you have stiff peaks. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream onto the set tarts and top woth more Walkers Shortbread Hanukkah Stars, gelt and a garnish of cocoa powder or sumac for a tart touch. Eat!
Notes
This post is sponsored by Walkers Shortbread but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support WJWE! Use the code AK15HOLIDAY to save 15% off your Walkers Shortbread order!
Hi! I’m going to make the recipe but just want to make sure that using mini muffin pan and not a regular muffin pan. Please advise. Thank you!
These are in a normal muffin tin. They are mini tarts in that they are individual compared to one large tart. But you could make them extra mini, you would just have more.
In The photos they look like minis. They don’t look like regular muffins or cupcakes.
I promise you, they are made in normal muffin tins. I even included a photo of the tin I used and one with my hand for scale. Those stars would have to be very tiny if those were mini!