paleo chocolate mint tarts

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 385°.
• In a medium bowl combine cassava flour, cocoa powder, powdered maple sugar and salt, whisk to combine.
• Drop shortening into dry ingredients and blend with a pastry cutter until all shortening is incorporated, even and resembles coarse crumbs.
• Pour the whisked egg into the shortening/flour mixture and work together with a wooden spoon until it again resembles a coarse crumb mixture. Or if you need to, use your fingertips, sometimes this is just easier.
• Add milk and work this into the crumb mixture until it’s the right consistency and isn’t too sticky. You should be able to touch it and not have dough stick to your fingers so you can form it into a ball. You can also dust your fingers with a little more cassava flour to get it rolled into a ball.
• Divide dough in half, leaving one half in the bowl (covered with plastic). Roll out the other half between two pieces of parchment paper, dusted with cassava flour. You’ll want it between ⅛-¼” thick. Using a round cutter that is just slightly larger than your tart pan, cut out and place circle in pan and shape according to manufacturer directions. Reroll scraps and cut out additional tart shapes. Do the same with the other half of the dough until all tart pans are filled.
• Using the tines of a fork, prick the bottom of each tart pan and bake until set. For a 2½” tart pan, it was around 12-15 minutes. This will vary depending on the size of your tart pan. Brush with whisked egg half way through bake time if using.
• Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool completely before removing from the tart pan.
• Prepare peppermint cream. Set a fine mesh strainer over a 4 cup glass bowl, set aside.
• In a medium bowl add egg yolks, maple sugar, kosher salt & tapioca starch. Whisk until well combined and set aside.
• In a 3 qt stock pot, warm milk just until you see bubbles around the edges. Remove from heat and temper the egg mixture by pouring slowly in a small stream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly until all milk is mixed in. Return all of this back to the stock pot and heat until thickened. Stirring constantly. Pour this mixture through the fine mesh strainer, pushing mixture through with the back of a spoon into the bowl.
• Once strained, stir in butter, vanilla and peppermint oil, whisking until fully incorporated. Place in the fridge to cool.
• After the mixture is cooled, add whipped cream, whisking until smooth. Fill tarts and store any leftover cream in the refrigerator until ready to use.