Alexander's pistachio tartlets

These pistachio tartlets are another creation for the biggest pistachio fan I know. They consist of crispy shortcrust pastry filled with apricot jam and pistachio cream, covered in dark chocolate coating and topped with almond and pistachio marzipan. A real treat!

Method:

  1. Beat the butter, icing sugar and eggs until fluffy.
  2. Gradually add all the other ingredients: the flour with the salt of hartshorn, the ground almonds and the spices.
  3. Chill the dough overnight.
  4. Roll out the dough in very thin portions on a lightly floured baking board. Cut out about 120 biscuits using a round biscuit cutter.
  5. Bake on greased baking trays at 190-200°C for 5-7 minutes until golden brown.
  6. Leave the biscuits to cool.
  7. Stack 4 biscuits on top of each other.
  8. Spread the first biscuit with a layer of apricot jam, the second with pistachio cream, the third again with apricot jam and finish with the last biscuit on top.
  9. Spread the biscuit tower with melted dark chocolate coating.
  10. Knead the raw marzipan with the icing sugar, ground pistachios and rose water.
  11. Roll out the marzipan thinly on icing sugar, cut out with the round biscuit cutter and use a small round biscuit cutter to cut out a circle inside the marzipan circle.
  12. Press the rings into chopped pistachios and place on top of the biscuit turrets.
  13. Using a teaspoon, pour some pistachio cream into the recess in the centre and cover with the small circle.
  14. Allow the chocolate coating to set, serve or store in a biscuit tin until ready to eat.