Bittersweet Truffle Tart Recipes

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap a sheet of foil over bottom of springform pan (in case of leaks). Lightly butter side of pan.
• Stir together ground wafers and butter in a bowl until combined, then pat mixture evenly onto bottom of pan and 1 1/2 inches up side. Bake until crust is slightly puffed, about 10 minutes, then cool completely in pan on a rack, about 15 minutes. Leave oven on.
• Make filling while crust cools:
• Melt chocolate and butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth, then remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
• Whisk together eggs, cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined well.
• Assemble and bake tart:
• Pour filling into cooled crust and rap pan once on counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until filling 1 inch from edge is set and slightly puffed but center trembles slightly when pan is gently shaken, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as it cools.)
• Cool tart completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Chill, uncovered, until center is firm, about 4 hours. Remove side of pan and sprinkle with cocoa to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• FOR CRUST:.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar, ground almonds, butter, and cocoa powder.
• Beat with an electric mixer until combined.
• Knead gently with hands until mixture comes together.
• Press dough onto the bottom and up the side of an ungreased 9- or 9 1/2-inch fluted square or round tart pan that has a removable bottom or a 9-inch pie plate.
• Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until crust is slightly puffed.
• Cool in pan on a wire rack.
• FOR FILLING:.
• In a medium saucepan, combine whipping cream, the 12 ounces chocolate, and the granulated sugar.
• Cook over medium heat just until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally.
• Transfer to a medium bowl; whisk in strawberry jam.
• Cover and chill about 1 hour or until mixture is cooled and slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
• Beat cooled chocolate mixture about 30 seconds or just until the color lightens slightly.
• Pour into crust, spreading evenly.
• Cover and chill about 2 hours or until firm.
• PEREPARE WHIPPED ALMOND MASCARPONE:.
• In a medium bowl, combine half of an 8-ounce carton mascarpone cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup whipping cream, and 1/8 teaspoon almond extract. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
• Beat on high speed until mixture is thick and holds firm peaks.
• TO SERVE:.
• Using a small sharp knife, gently loosen edge of crust from side of pan. Remove side of tart pan.
• Spread the whipped mascarpone over top of tart.
• If desired, sprinkle each serving with the chocolate shavings. Makes 10 servings.

Steps:

• Use a fork to mix together the chocolate wafer crumbs and butter. Spray the cups of a 6-muffin tin with a vegetable spray. Line the cups with strips of parchment or waxed paper, cut so that they are as wide as the diameter of each cup and long enough to overhang the sides (you'll need this overhang to remove the tarts). Use the bottom of a small glass to press the crumbs over the bottom and sides of the muffin cups, building the sides up to only about 1 1/2 inches. Place a raspberry in the center of each crust and with a pastry bag or small plastic bag with the corner snipped off, fill the tarts with the truffle mixture. Smooth the tops and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.;
• In a saucepan, bring the cream just to a simmer over low heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate in a bowl and let stand about 10 minutes to melt the chocolate. Add the vanilla and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool for 1 hour at room temperature. Then beat the chocolate at medium speed until it gets thick and light colored. Spread over the bottom of a baking dish and smooth the top. Refrigerate about 2 hours, until firm.
• Pour the cocoa powder onto a deep plate or shallow bowl. Use a melon baller or small ice cream scoop to scoop out balls of chocolate; place them on the plate with the cocoa powder and roll between 2 forks to completely coat with the cocoa powder. Then use the forks to carefully transfer them to a parchment or waxed lined baking sheet.

Steps:

• Line a jelly roll pan with parchment and keep at hand.
• Remove the bottoms from six 4 1/2 inch fluted tartlet pans (or use pans with permanent bottoms and just plan to pop the tartlets out once they're filled, baked, and cooled); spray the pans with vegetable oil spray or brush with melted butter.
• Cut the dough into six even pieces.
• Working with one piece at a time, shape the dough into a rough circle, then tamp it down with a rolling pin.
• Flour the work surface and the top of the dough and roll it into a circle 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
• As you roll, lift the dough with the help of a dough scraper to keep it from sticking.
• If the dough breaks (as it sometimes does even when the pros are rolling it), press it back together and keep going- it will be fine once it's baked.
• Fit the dough into a tartlet ring, pressing it into the fluted edges and cutting the top level with the edges of the pan.
• Again, patch as you go.
• Use a pastry brush to dust off any excess flour and place the lined tartlet ring on the prepared baking pan.
• When all of the shells are rolled out, chill them for at least 20 minutes.
• (Please see note in my Chocolate Tart Dough recipe regarding this step.)
• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Prick the bottoms of the crust all over with the tines of a fork and bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until the crusts are dry, blistery, and firm.
• Transfer the baking pan to a rack so that the crusts can cool while you make the filling.
• Reduce the oven temp to 300°F.
• •Julia tells you here to melt the butter and chocolate over a double-boiler on the stove. I use the microwave at half power, checking every 30 seconds after the first minute, and stirring each time.
• Allow to cool until it is slightly warmer than room temperature.
• Put the yolks and vanilla extract in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Start beating the yolks at medium speed, and then, when they are broken up, reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sugar.
• Increase the speed to medium-high and beat the yolks and sugar until the yolks thicken and form a slowly dissolving ribbon when the beater is lifted.
• Spoon about one third of the yolks onto the cooled chocolate mixture and fold them in with a rubber spatula.
• Don't worry about being too thorough.
• Pour the chocolate into the beaten yolks and gently fold the two mixtures together until they are almost completely blended.
• Add the cubed chocolates and biscotti, folding to incorporate the chunky pieces.
• Using an ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measure, divide the filling evenly among the cooled shells.
• Smooth the filling with a small offset spatula, working it into the nooks and crannies as you circle the tops of the tarts.
• Bake the tarts for 10-12 minutes, until the tops look dry and the filling is just set.
• Remove to a rack to cool for about 20 minutes before serving.
• Best the day these are made, these are still terrific after they've been refrigerated- they lose their textural finesse, but the taste is still very much there.
• For longer keeping, wrap the tartlets airtight, and freeze them for up to a month.
• Thaw, still wrapped, at room temperature.
• Cook's Notes: Instead of individual tartlets, I made a 10-inch tart, and adjusted the baking time a bit longer than what is noted in the recipe.
• Additionally, when the tart came out of the oven, I wasn't pleased with the way the tops looked- too bumpy.
• So I made a quick ganache (2 ounces bittersweet chocolate+ 1/3 cup cream, nuked for about a minute, and stirred until smooth), and spread it over the top.
• Yeah, this was decadent.
• It was incredible the day it was served.
• The remainder was frozen and pulled out at the last minute for an impromptu guest dessert.
• I let it thaw at room temp for about 20 minutes before serving.
• I think I liked it better that way.
• Either way, it's an extravagant gut-bomb that is certain to please.

Steps:

• Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; pour over chocolate. Let sit 2 to 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Refrigerate (uncovered) until somewhat firm, about 1 hour.
• Spoon mounds (2 level teaspoons each) of chocolate mixture onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Return to refrigerator 15 minutes.
• With your hands, roll mounds into balls. Place desired coatings in shallow bowls; roll balls in coatings, pressing in and covering completely. Return to baking sheet; chill until set, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• 1. MAKE THE CRUST In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the butter with the sugar and salt at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl. Beat in the flour at low speed until the mixture resembles wet sand, then beat in the egg yolk until the dough just comes together. Scrape the dough out onto a work surface, gather up any crumbs and pat the dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour. 2. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE CANDIED ORANGES In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, oranges and water and bring just to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the orange slices are very tender and suspended in a slightly thick syrup, about 1 hour and 15 minutes; let cool completely. 3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 12-inch round. Without stretching it, fit the dough into a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim the overhang and use it to patch any holes. Refrigerate the tart shell for 30 minutes. 4. Preheat the oven to 350°. Bake the tart shell for 35 minutes, until golden. Let cool. 5. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE FILLING In a small saucepan, combine the cream, milk and zest and bring just to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let stand for 30 minutes. Return the mixture just to a simmer, then strain it through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl. Add the chocolate; let stand for 2 minutes, then whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks, then whisk in the butter and salt. 6. Put the tart shell on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the filling into the shell and bake for about 15 minutes, until the filling at the edge is just set and the center is nearly set. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. 7. Drain the candied oranges well, then arrange them on the tart. Cut the tart into wedges and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small heavy saucepan, heat cream and ginger until bubbles form around sides of pan. Remove from heat., Place flour, almonds, confectioners' sugar and cocoa in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add cold butter; pulse until butter is the size of peas. While pulsing, add 1/4 cup amaretto to form moist crumbs. Press onto bottom and up sides of an ungreased 9-in. fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Bake 13-16 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack., Place chocolate in a small bowl. Bring gingered cream just to a boil. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer over chocolate; discard ginger. Stir chocolate mixture with a whisk until smooth; stir in softened butter and remaining amaretto until blended. Pour into cooled crust. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours or until set.