Orange and Chocolate Baskets
- Vegetarian
- Energy Kcal 590
- Carbohydrates g 67.5
- of which sugars g 35.8
- Protein g 7.7
- Fats g 32.2
- of which saturated fat g 18.28
- Fiber g 2.4
- Cholesterol mg 159
- Sodium mg 17
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 30 min
- Cook time: 15 min
- Serving: 6
- Cost: Low
PRESENTATION
Cestini all’arancia e cioccolato are these really, really good orange chocolate tartlets that totally make you smile. Seriously good stuff. Rooted in Italian pastry traditions, they mix tender shortcrust pastry with orange zest for an extra zesty punch. And you know what, Italians love combining citrus with chocolate, so it’s no surprise these are a favorite at cafés and family tables. You get this moist chocolate ganache filling inside a crisp, golden pastry shell, topped with strips of candied orange peel—sweet and tangy, for sure. There’s a reason the orange and chocolate tart recipe is popular from Rome to Milan—these flavors really work well together and never feel heavy. Perfect for dessert, but also pretty awesome as a snack with tea or during a coffee break.
While many Italian sweets use orange, there's something special about these orange chocolate dessert bites. Often made for holidays or birthdays, but truthfully, they're easy enough for any day you want a treat. Thing is, the balance in this orange chocolate tartlets recipe comes from the way the citrus cuts through the richness of the ganache, giving you all that chocolate flavor with a fresh pop. These mini tarts aren’t just pretty—they're simple to make and look super fancy on a plate. Anyone who loves orange-infused chocolate or citrus desserts will probably reach for more than one. For those curious to explore further, check out other Italian orange desserts like pan d’arancio from Sicily or the classic orange curd tartlets—Italy offers a range of flavors playing with these. And look, these chocolate orange mini tarts are a crispy, sweet, and totally satisfying way to enjoy the Italian bakery vibe right at home. Whether it’s a special occasion or just a regular afternoon, these tartlets bring a touch of Italian sweetness to any moment. Pretty much.
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INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for the shortcrust pastry (for 6 baskets)
- Type 00 flour 2.1 cups (250 g)
- Butter ½ cup (125 g)
- Powdered sugar ¾ cup (100 g)
- Egg yolks 2
- Orange peel 1
- Vanilla bean 1 - the seeds
- for the ganache
- Dark chocolate 4.5 oz (125 g)
- Fresh liquid cream ½ cup (125 g)
- Butter ½ tbsp (10 g)
- for garnish
- Candied orange to taste
How to prepare Orange and Chocolate Baskets
To prepare the orange and chocolate baskets, start with the shortcrust pastry (for best results, consult the Shortcrust pastry recipe). In a food processor equipped with blades, add the sifted flour and butter 1, run the machine for a few moments, just enough to sandy the mixture 2. Transfer it to a pastry board, form the classic fountain in the center of which you will pour the vanilla bean seeds, powdered sugar, grated orange zest 3,
the egg yolks 4; knead quickly by hand 5 until you get a compact and elastic dough. Flatten it and cover it with plastic wrap 6 and place it in the refrigerator to set for half an hour.
After the resting time, take the shortcrust pastry, roll it out on a floured pastry board with a rolling pin, until you get a sheet 1/8 inch thick 7. Cut out circles of dough about 4 inches in diameter with a pastry cutter 8, transfer the dough into 6 greased and floured tartlet molds with a diameter of 2 3/4 inches, adhere the pastry to the mold, and trim the excess with a knife 9. With the leftover scraps, you can make delicious biscuits!
Once you have covered all the molds 10, cut out 6 circles of parchment paper with a diameter of about 4 inches, line the bottom of the molds with the paper circles 11, and place weights for blind baking inside 12 (or you can also use dried legumes). Bake the tartlets for 10 minutes in a static preheated oven at 340°F (or in a fan oven at 300°F for about 8 minutes).
Once cooked, take them out of the oven and let them cool before unmolding 13. Now take care of the filling ganache cream: chop the dark chocolate with a knife 14, heat the cream in a saucepan over low heat 15,
add the butter 16 and let it simmer, then turn off the heat and incorporate the chopped chocolate 17 and stir with a whisk until it is completely melted 18. Let the ganache cool slightly.
Fill the tartlets with the dark chocolate cream 19, then place the leftover cream in a bowl under which you will position another bowl full of ice 20. Whip the cream with electric whisks 21
until it becomes light 22. At that point, transfer it to a piping bag with a star nozzle and garnish the surface of the tartlets with dollops of ganache 23. To finish, decorate with candied orange peels 24. The orange and chocolate baskets are ready to be enjoyed!