Almond Rocher Tart Recipe: Crispy Hazelnut Chocolate Tarts

For the Cookie Dough Tart Shells:

• 1½ cups All Purpose Flour (187g)
• ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• ½ cup Vegan Butter (113g)
• ½ cup Granulated Sugar (100g)
• 1 Tbs Golden Flax Meal (8g)
• 2 Tbs Hot Water (30ml)
• ½ teaspoon Almond Extract

For the Almond Custard:

• 2¼ cups Plant Milk (540ml)
• ¾ cup Granulated Sugar (150g)
• 4 Tbs Cornstarch (32g)
• 1 teaspoon Almond Extract (5ml)

For the Rocher Truffles:

• 1 lb Tempered Chocolate (454g)
• 1 cup Crushed Toasted Almonds

For the Liquid Centers:

• ½ cup White Chocolate
• 6 Tbs Almond Milk (90ml)
• 1 teaspoon Almond Extract (5ml)

For the icings:

• ½ Recipe Chocolate Ganache
• ¼ Recipe Buttercream, finished with almond extract
• 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
• 2 Tbs Almond Butter

1. Make the ganache and buttercream ahead if desired; both can be prepared up to a week in advance and refrigerated.
2. When finishing the buttercream, add almond extract and almond butter at the last stage of mixing for extra flavor.
3. Prepare the liquid-center Rocher truffles using tempered chocolate shells and the white chocolate center as shown in the video. For an easier option, make a thicker white chocolate ganache (see Notes) and roll scooped balls in crushed almonds for stable truffles.
4. For the liquid centers or ganache: melt the white chocolate with plant milk, stir until smooth, then add almond extract.
5. Make the cookie dough: cream vegan butter with sugar until light and fluffy, about 4–5 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, combine the flax meal with hot water and allow to thicken; then stir in the almond extract.
7. Add the salt and the flax paste to the creamed butter and sugar, mixing on high for a few seconds to emulsify.
8. Scrape the bowl, then add flour and baking powder; mix until a soft dough forms.
9. Wrap the dough disc in plastic and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
10. Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼” thickness and line tart molds; prick the bottoms with a fork.
11. Bake tart shells in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 18–20 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely.
12. While shells cool, make the custard: whisk sugar, cornstarch and plant milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it thickens and boils. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract.
13. Spoon hot custard into cooled tart shells, filling evenly. Chill in the refrigerator until set.
14. When custard is set, spread about 3 tablespoons of warm ganache over each tart and pipe a rosette of almond buttercream.
15. Top each tart with an Almond Rocher truffle. Serve immediately or refrigerate; see storage notes below.

To convert the liquid center into a soft, scoopable truffle center, double the white chocolate in the liquid-center ingredient list and leave the rest the same. Allow that white chocolate ganache to cool until scoopable, then form balls and roll in roasted crushed almonds. This yields classic Rocher-style truffles that are much easier to handle.

Storage: These tarts must be refrigerated and will keep up to 5 days. Assemble truffles close to serving when using liquid centers to avoid leakage; if preparing ahead, use the firmer truffle option for cleaner storage and transport.