These chocolate cardamom tarts feature a rich chocolate custard base infused with toasted cardamom, fresh bananas, toasted pistachios and homemade whipped cream all in a miniature size!
So last month was National Chocolate Lovers Month. Which is not surprising, considering February also houses the infamous Valentine’s Day. But I say, we should be celebrating chocolate all year long! Obviously!
Related: Chocolate Crescent Rolls with Candied Pecans
Today’s recipe is definitely an ode to chocolate, with a bunch of other accompaniments that compliment it oh so well! I love it when a chocolate dessert recipe has a little bit of a spiced surprise in it, and these chocolate cardamom tarts really hit the spot. I can’t wait to bake up a batch in our new kitchen!
Related: Banana and Chocolate Nutella Custard Tarts
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The tarts use a regular pie crust for the base, and then they are filled with a super luscious and creamy cardamom-infused chocolate mousse. This mousse is crazy good, you guys! Then I topped them with sliced bananas, toasted pistachios, and homemade whipped cream. However, you could substitute out for your favorite fruits or nuts, like strawberries or walnuts!
Related: Mini Chocolate Cakes with Marshmallow Mint Whipped Cream
Now it’s your turn: what is your favorite way to celebrate our collective love for chocolate? Share with me by commenting below!
- 6-8 cardamom pods
- 2 cups heavy cream, divided
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 sheets pie crust
- Bananas, sliced
- Pistachios, toasted
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Mortar and pestle
- Fine-mesh sieve
- 12 four-inch mini tart pans (preferably with removable bottoms)
- With a heavy chef's knife, cut the pods in half to release the seeds from inside the pod. Discard the pod. Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add seeds. Toast until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Allow seeds to cool before finely chopping, or use a mortar and pestle to finely grind the seeds.
- Heat 1 cup of heavy cream with ground cardamom seeds in a saucepan until hot. Whisk yolks, brown sugar, honey, vanilla and salt in a bowl until well combined, then stream in the hot cream, whisking constantly until combined. Transfer mixture back to saucepan and cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Poor custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in the vanilla.
- Set a metal bowl over a pan of 1-2 inches simmering water (be sure the seal between the bowl and the pan is as tight as possible, or use a double boiler). Add chocolate and allow to melt, stirring frequently. Whisk the custard into the chocolate until smooth and then allow mixture to cool.
- In the bowl of an electric mixture, beat remaining 1 cup heavy cream until it holds stiff peaks. Whisk about one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate custard, then fold in the remaining cream gently. Set aside.
- Heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray mini tart pans with nonstick cooking spray. Cut circles out of the pie crust that are about 1 inch larger than diameter of the pie tart pans. Press the pie crust into each mold, cutting to ensure there is not too much overlap over the edge of each pie tart. You should be able to get 6 mini tarts out of one pie crust sheet (use a rolling pin to roll together the leftover scraps to make the dough sheets for the last 1-2 tarts if necessary from each pie crust sheet). Cover each tart with a piece of tinfoil and then weight down with beans or rice. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Remove tin foil and rice/beans from the top of each tart and return tart pans to oven, cooking for another 20-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Allow to cool completely to room temperature.
- When tarts are completely cooled, spoon mousse mixture into each tart and chill, covered, for at least 6 hours. Let stand at room temperature about 20-30 minutes.
- While tarts are warming up, prepare whipped cream. In the bowl of an electric mixture, beat 1 cup heavy cream, white sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Slice bananas and toast pistachio nuts. Serve tarts with a dollop of whip cream, sliced bananas, and toasted pistachio nuts.
- Note: Total time is inclusive of time to chill in refrigerator.
Sarah is a food blogger from Metro Detroit who believes that gourmet food should be accessible to all home cooks. 
These are simply gorgeous! I love cardamom.