Creamy Walnut Tartlets

Creamy walnut tartlets for the win

Here I am with another walnut recipe for personal food, my FAVE! Creamy walnut tartlets are sweet, crunchy, creamy. They are toasted walnut perfection in a nutshell, excuse the pun!

These beauties are a take on a recipe I found in a French cookbook that belonged to my late father. This past summer when I went home for a visit I asked my mother if I could have it. She readily agreed. I spent countless hours looking through this lovely book, full of regional recipes, and stunning photography. I drool by just thinking about it.

Party perfect

The recipe makes six creamy walnut tartlets, so it is perfect for a small dinner party, or for celebrating a special occasion at home. You could say that this dessert is the French cousin of an American southern favorite: pecan pie, which I happen to love dearly. I am excited to be making it! I am also thrilled that I can use my tartlet set yet again which I bought many years ago, way before I started blogging.

Walnut history

Walnuts are said to have originated in Persia (modern day Iran) roughly 7,000 years ago, and are considered one fo the oldest foods. The Romans loved their walnuts, and called them Juglans regia, which roughly means Jupiter's royal acorn. Walnuts were traded along the Silk Road, the famous trade route between Asia and the Middle East. Are walnuts good for you? Walnuts are super healthy, they are rich in omega 3, and vitamin E also.

Step by step photos

1. Gather all your ingredients and have them measured, chopped and ready to go before starting preparing the recipe. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. Prepare the dough by placing the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until to resembles a fine corn meal.
3. Pour in the egg and milk mixture
4. Pulse until it come together and pulls away from the sides.
5. Roll into a 12 inch cylinder and cut into 6 equal length pieces.
6. Roll each piece to fit a tartlet pan. Press into the pans and line the bottom with parchment paper and add the pie weights or dry beans. Place the tartlet shells into the freeze for 45 minutes.
7. While the shells are chilling, heat the half and half, cream and sugar on medium heat in a sauce pan until it starts to boil.
8. Remove from the heat and stir in the walnuts, vanilla and orange peel.
9. Bake the chilled tartlets shells for 10 minutes then remove from the oven.
10. Quickly remove the pie weights and parchment then brush with the egg wash on all sides.
11. Spoon in the filling.
12. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the filling is set.

I think you will love this recipe! Share it with your friends and family. The best thing about this recipe? Everyone can have their own dessert, no sharing!

Here are some of my baking picks from Amazon.  Some really nice tartlet pans, a thickness rolling pin, pastry mat with measurements and a really cool book on French pastry!

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Creamy Walnut Tartlets

You will love these Tartelettes au Noix! French walnut tartlets are crunchy with a creamy caramelized filling with a hint of orange and similar to pecan pie. 

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Keyword: scratch recipe, tart baking

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 tartlets

Calories: 784kcal

Author: Analida Braeger

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 ¾ cups flour
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter cold, cut into pieces
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp milk beaten with 1 egg above
• 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water (for brushing)

Filling

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup half and half
• ½ cup cream
• 8 oz walnuts coarsely chopped
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp orange peel

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• To prepare the dough place flour , sugar and salt in the food processor and pulse a few times. Add the butter and pulse a few times. Pour in the egg and milk mixture and keep pulsing until the mixture comes together.
• Turn onto a floured surface, and shape into a 12" cylinder. Cut into 6 equal 2" pieces. Roll out each individual piece to fit into a tartlet pan. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of each tarlet pan, and cover with pie weights. Place in the freezer for 45 minutes.
• Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and quickly remove the pie weight and parchment paper. Brush all sides with the egg wash while hot.
• While the dough is in the freezer prepare the filling: in a saucepan heat cream, half and half, and sugar on medium heat until it starts to boil. Remove from heat and stir in the walnuts, vanilla, and orange peel.
• Fill the individual tartlets, then bake on oven rack for 20-25 minutes or until the filling has set.
• Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

Nutrition

Calories: 784kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 246mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 925IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 3mg

 Originally published November 2016 and updated February 2022.