So what crostata for my November Daring Bakers challenge did I end up eating before I was able to take pictures? Mini Almond Joy Crostatas! For this recipe, I used the same filling but decided to make a different type of crust. Since I’m not a huge pie crust type of person, I went the chocolate route and made Oreo crusts. Mmmm now that’s my type of crust. Inside the crust is a filling made of white chocolate ganache, coconut, and dark rum! Three of my favorite ingredients combined into one filling that makes me drool uncontrollably. Then pour a rich chocolate glaze on top of the coconut filling, top the tarts with more coconut and sliced almonds and you’ll be in Almond Joy Tart heaven!
First let’s get started on the white chocolate ganache. It’s super simple but just takes a while to sit in the refrigerator.
Take 7 ounces of good quality white chocolate and chop it up into small pieces. I LOVE this chocolate!!
Throw the white chocolate pieces in a bowl and set aside.
In a small saucepan, pour in 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and heat it up until it almost comes to a boil.
Pour the warm heavy cream in the center of the chopped white chocolate. Let it sit for about 30 seconds.
Now whisk it up. Make sure you whisk it until it’s smooth. Mmmm that looks sooo good.
Cover the bowl up with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 4 hours. Yes 4 hours! Believe me, it’s worth waiting that long.
While the white chocolate ganache is chilling, you can get started on the Oreo crusts. Place almost the whole package of Oreos in a food processor (I use all of the cookies except 6 cookies, which you can eat!)
Pulse the cookies in the food processor until they’re completely combined.
Throw the cookie crumbs in a bowl. Add 2 Tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Trust me on the cinnamon, it brings out the chocolate flavor. Now mix it up!
Now add 1/2 cup of melted unsalted butter.
Combine everything together.
Put about 5-6 Tablespoons of the Oreo crumb mixture in each 4 inch tart pan. (You will end up with about 6 mini tarts).
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the tarts pans. Make sure you firmly pack the crumbs into the sides of the tart pans too! And please ignore the mess I made.
Place them on a baking sheet and bake them at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. (Yes I know there are only 4 tarts on the baking sheet and not 6 tarts. It makes 6 though.)
Once they’re done, place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely. The crust may have puffed up a bit, just take the back of a spoon and press the crust down firmly.
After the white chocolate ganache is done chilling, remove it from the refrigerator and pour it into a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment. (a handheld mixer works fine).
Mix it on high speed until soft peaks form. You don’t want the mixture to be too stiff!
Add in 2 1/4 cups of sweetened flaked coconut.
Fold it together like I’m doing here. Mmmm the filling is so delicious, I could seriously just eat it by itself.
To make it even more delicious, add in 1/2 Tablespoon of dark rum! Yes rum! Everything is better with rum.
Now fold everything together! And if you like, taste some! 
You know I did…
Using an ice cream scooper, scoop 1 big scoopful of the coconut filling into each Oreo crust.
Spread the filling evenly like so.
Place an unsalted almond in the middle of each tart.
Cover them with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator while you work on the chocolate glaze that you’ll pour over the tarts.
Chop up 4 ounces of semi sweet chocolate. I like to use Ghirardelli chocolate but you can use whatever floats your boat.
Throw it into a bowl.
In a small saucepan heat up 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream until it’s almost simmering. Be careful not to overheat the heavy whipping cream!
Pour the hot heavy whipping cream in the center of the chopped chocolate.
Now take a whisk and mix it up until the chocolate glaze is smooth.
Allow the chocolate to sit for about 10 minutes.
Remove the tarts from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap.
Using a spoon, pour some of the chocolate glaze in the middle of the tart like so.
Starting from the edges, spread the chocolate glaze over the coconut filling. You want to cover the coconut filling completely.
Then place the Mini Almond Joy Tarts in the refrigerator to let the chocolate glaze set.
Once they’re done chilling, top them with some more sweetened flaked coconut and sliced almonds. (I used whole almonds and just sliced them). Enjoy!
Mini Almond Joy Tarts
(filling and glaze adapted from Baked Explorations)
Oreo Crusts
1 package Oreos (use all but 6 Oreos)
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Coconut Filling
7 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 Tablespoon dark rum
Chocolate Glaze
4 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
6 unsalted almonds (to place on top of coconut filling) plus extras for garnish
sweetened flaked coconut for ganish
To make White Chocolate Ganache:
Chop 7 ounces of good quality white chocolate and place in a large bowl. Pour 1 cup of heavy whipping cream into a small saucepan and heat until it’s almost simmering.
Pour the hot heavy whipping cream in the center of the white chocolate pieces. Let it sit for about 30 seconds. Then whisk the heavy whipping cream and white chocolate together until smooth.
Place plastic wrap over the bowl and chill for 4 hours.
To make the Coconut Filling:
Pour the chilled white chocolate ganache into a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment. (a handheld mixer works fine) Whip the white chocolate ganache on high speed until soft peaks form. Do not overmix the ganache.
Add in 2 1/4 cups of sweetened flaked coconut and fold it into the whipped white chocolate ganache.
Then add in 1/2 Tablespoon of dark rum and fold everything together. Be careful not to overmix.
Cover the coconut filling with plastic wrap and chill until you’re ready to use it.
To make the Oreo crusts:
Place one package of Oreo cookies in a food processor. (I use all the cookies except for 6 cookies) Pulse until the cookies are crushed into fine crumbs.
Pour the crumbs into a bowl. Add in 2 Tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Stir to combine. Then add in 1/2 cup of melted unsalted butter and stir all of the ingredients together.
Take 6 four inch tart pans. Put 5-6 Tablespoons of the cookie crumb mixture into each tart pan. Press the cookie crumbs firmly into the pans using your hands. Place the tart pans on a baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Once the cookie crusts are done baking, cool completely on a cooling rack before filling with the coconut filling. The crusts may puff up a bit while baking, that’s ok. Once they’re done just take the back of a spoon and press the crust down.
Assembling the tart:
Take the coconut filling out of the refrigerator. Using an ice cream scoop, place 1 big scoopful of the coconut filling in each cooled tart. Spread the filling evenly. Put an unsalted almond in the center of each tart. Cover the tarts with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to put the chocolate glaze over the tarts.
To make the chocolate glaze:
Chop up 4 ounces of semi sweet chocolate. Put the chopped chocolate into a bowl. In a small saucepan, pour in 1/2 cup of heavy cream and heat up until it’s almost simmering.
Once the heavy whipping cream is almost simmering, pour over the chopped chocolate.
Whisk the hot heavy whipping cream and chocolate together. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
Putting the glaze on the tarts:
Remove the tarts from the refrigerator. Using a spoon, pour the chocolate glaze in the center of the tart. Spread the chocolate glaze over the tart, starting with the edges. Make sure all of the coconut filling is covered with the chocolate glaze. Refrigerate the tarts until the chocolate glaze has set.
Top with more sweetened flaked coconut and sliced almonds.
Enjoy!
Wow! That looks so good! Coconut and chocolate, a perfect match.
My husband will absolutely love these! Do you think I could make two 8 in. tart pans, instead of the mini tarts?
I’ve made it as a large tart and it will make one large tart.
If you want two 8 inch tarts, you’ll have to double the recipe.
These look fantastic! Another amazing recipe!
You are the mad scientist in the kitchen Lindsey – but in such a good way!! Your creations make me drool…..
Those look fabulous! I love mini tarts, and the photos are amazing!
That is my favorite white chocolate to use. You can’t beat a vanilla flavor like that!
Wow!! those look so delicious!
These look fantastic! I am a huge fan of white chocolate and coconut. I will definitely have to try these for the holidays. Thanks for sharing!!!
Okay, I officially think it’s time for you to open up a bakery. These tarts look so fancy and professional! White chocolate ganache? Yes, please! What a wonderful idea. And you can’t beat an Oreo crust
I have to make these!
oreo crust and coconut!!!! count me in!!
My husband would totally love this. Almond Joy are his favorite candy bars. I can see why you ate them so fast.
I love that you made these. I think that a lot of people don’t really like almond joy that much, but I LOVE them. Even as a kid, after halloween when my siblings and I would trade candy, I would trade mine for almond joys! I bet these little tarts are magnificent, and I love the addition of oreo crust.
Lindsey, your blog is way too dangerous! Every morning I wake up and I find a new wonderful recipe. Today, you even have a white chocolate cream for these little tarts! My hips are hating you….I love you! Except that now I have to go and buy more white chocolate. Congrats on the top 9!
Holy yum!! These looks fabulous! I wish I could have a bite right now!
Wow these tarts are fantastic!You took it over the top with the oreo crusts. yum.
These look amazing – I shouldn’t have read this before breakfast! Gonna have to give these ones a try. Thanks!
I was like Alice in Wonderland reading this, curisor and curisor, trying to mentally eat it on the way – glad I made it to the end, love the combo and got a chocolate rush just from reading the recipe!
Believe it or not, I was just recently turned onto Almond Joy and they’re great! These pictures made me drool…love these little tarts!
Wow…I need to stop reading food blogs before lunch because now all I want is chocolate. I must get some mini-tart pans and make these soon.
Oh these are so adorable! I’m not a fan of coconut, but they still look delicious! I’ve been meaning to try cinnamon and chocolate together, but I’ve been kind of chicken. Thanks for the motivation!
These look too darn good! I am saving this recipe for the rainy days!
Angie
Oh, Lindsey, these look amazing! Almond Joys have been my favorite for a long time. Thanks for sharing. I’m also having a cookies and cookbook giveaway from Tate’s, like I see you are, that you should enter! I loved your post about the cookies – They were so amazing!
Great photos! My step-dad love coconut everything… I will keep this recipe in mind for his birthday!
Decadent. Delicious. SEND ME SOME…please? No wonder you ate them all. I love almond joy bars…I would also devour these:)
We are so cute! I love it that we found the same book and posted recipes on the exact same day. This recipe was actually the reason that I bought the book. My dad LOVES almond joys, and I can’t wait to make these for him. Yours turned out just beautiful, darling! Thank you for sharing. I hope you have a lovely afternoon, my friend!
These look amazing!!! I haven’t tried that white chocolate, will pick one up! Nicely done!!
Now that’s mind kind of crostata! Such cute little tarts. Wouldn’t last long in my kitchen. Love the Oreo crust. And the use of Green’s white chocolate. Such good stuff. I think taste testing would be mandatory when making these.
What a terrific recipe! This looks so easy even I can give it a try. We love almond joy so I’ll have to get going on this.
Thanks for sharing,
Joanne
It’s actually very easy!! You’re welcome and I hope you enjoy the tarts
AMAZING! I’ve been looking for something to make in my new mini-tart pans…now I know what I’ll make first
I’m so excited to hear that you just bought mini tart pans! I have so much fun using them for all kinds of tarts. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Thanks for posting the picture of the Green & Black’s white chocolate bar. I don’t use white chocolate because the standard chunky bar of white chocolate in the grocery store has no flavor at all. It looks like Green & Black’s has real cocoa butter and vanilla in it, so I’m going to give white chocolate one more try.
I don’t have any tart pans, but I love ganache enough that maybe I could just spoon the ganache straight into my mouth?
Green & Black’s white chocolate is AMAZING!!! If you don’t like the standard white chocolate bar you will LOVE this! Haha, you could definitely eat the ganache by itself (I did!!!)
Yum! These sound so good! I used to hate coconut, but I’m actually coming to really enjoy it. The oreo crust is a great combination to the filling:) By the way, I came across some gingerbread marshmallows at the store the other day, and immediately thought of you! You should find a way to use them in a recipe:)
I used to hate coconut too believe it or not! Now I have a coconut addiction. Ooohhh gingerbread marshmallows!!! Those sound beyond amazing.
How you are not gorgeously fat is a mystery to me.
I would eat way too much if I was anywhere near you. I mean, more than I do.
You had me at oreo crust!
Yum!!!
Oh. My. Lord. I wish I could reach in to the computer screen and pull one of these out to eat!! I don’t have mini tart pans, but I do have a large one w/a removable bottom. I might just have to make this for the NY Eve party we’re going to. With the white and black, it looks like a tux!!
Haha, you’re too funny! I’ve made it as a large tart and it works out really well. What a great idea to make them for a New Years party!
At the risk of sounding like a broken record I must say that I love your step by step photos. This looks so enjoyable that I have to squeeze these in with everything else this holiday season. I found Christmas candy corn to make your Christmas bark…
Thank you, I really appreciate hearing that you enjoy the step by step photos. You don’t sound like a broken record at all! Yeah!! I’m glad you found the Christmas candy corn
You always make the yummiest looking treats, how do you do it! I am not one for almond joy, but my new liking for coconut and chocolate has me intrigued with this recipe, thanks!
Thank you so much! You might just like it, definitely give it a try. The white chocolate ganache mixed with the coconut and rum makes it taste sooooo good!
Lindsey – Almond Joys are one of three of my fav candies. I’ve also had my eye on an almond joy tart of sorts from the Baked Explorations cookbook. I luv this recipe with the white chocolate and oreo cookie crust. This is coconut and chocolate deliciousness – adorably sized (great portion control!)
Mine too, aren’t they delicious?!
Thank you so much. I tried the tarts with a regular crust and the oreo crust but the oreo crust was my favorite!
Oh, I love your step by steps- great job!!! Yum!
Oh my, those tarts are mouthwatering!
These looks delicious!.. Fantastic combinations!.. All the best. Luna
These look awesome, Lindsay. I expect we will see them on Top 9 tomorrow
You had me at oreo crust. This recipe looks sinfully delicious! I never have tried the cinnamon in chocolate thing but now I think I want to try it
Hello delicious! Oreos + butter = amazing! I also love the single almond under the chocolate topping, very cute.
Wow! Wrap me up 100 of them. Looks like it was work but worth it. I love every ingredient.
Plan B
I see now why you ate the crostata before taking the picture, your tarts are more than tempting. Love the chocolate filling.
hope you’re having a wonderful week
OMG… white chocolates, oreo… super drool!
These look fantastic! It is SO fun to recreate the classics and you did a wonderful job.
These are pretty awesome. Mini tarts are always beautiful. I don’t know how you’re able to consistently put out these amazing desserts. You should start working on the gingerbread bagels cookbook!!
You had me at coconut! And, Almond Joys are my fave candy bar, so I am dying for one of those tarts!
Seriously delicious. And both my favourite chocolate types too! I love the idea of an Oreo shell.
Oh Lindsey,
Congratulations on the Top 9 today. These tarts look like chocolate-coconut-rum heaven, all of my favorite flavors! Will have to make this soon!
OMG they look amazing…i love every ingredient separately and together, just wow!
)
Those look absolutely incredible what a great idea! I cant wait to try them
AMAZING!!
These look absolutely amazing. I love almond joys, so I must make these tarts!! Wonderful job!
Almond Joys are my favoritest candies/chocolates ever
They look GREAT! I love how you photo narrate your cooking.. really intricate
I’ve always wanted to try this organic brand of chocolate but was nervous too. After reading this I will definitely give it a try. This recipe is great! And I love the step by step process with pictures. Cool post
these look wonderfully fattening
Now this is what I call dessert, your recipe truly rocks.
Raymund
http://angsarap.wordpress.com
i was mobbed by your photographs!! truly a work of art. congratulations. i’m so proud to have a fellow blogger like u.
This looks so good. My dd loves almond joy, so this would be an instant hit!
Hii! I’m just about to go to the shop to try these amazing-looking tarts out
but as I’m in the UK I’m wondering how big is the Oreo package you’re using? Hope I get my answer quick as this stuff looks sooo delicious 
Keep up the good work,
Sandra
It’s an 18 ounce package. Thanks so much!
Just finished making these in cupcake size for a friend’s b day party tomorrow night. I had to freeze the leftover coconut/white chocolate filling to keep from gorging myself on it. So freaking good, thank you.