Chocolate Date Tart Recipes

Steps:

• Un-roll the pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface, mix the cocoa powder and icing sugar together. Use a sieve to sprinkle all over the pastry sheet, then fold in half like a book and chill for 15 mins. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry sheet into a slightly larger rectangle, big enough to line a 20cm tart tin. Line the tin, leaving any overhanging pastry - you'll trim this away once the tart is baked. Chill for 30 mins on a baking tray. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15-20 mins, then remove the paper and beans and bake for 15 mins more, until cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave the case to cool in its tin, then trim the sides.
• While the pastry is cooling, make the date caramel. Warm the coconut milk until steaming, then pour 120ml of the coconut milk over the dates. Soak for 5 mins then tip into a food processor with the vanilla extract and a big pinch of flaky salt. Blitz until smooth. Spread the caramel onto the base of the tart and put in the fridge for 30 mins to set a little.
• To make the ganache topping, heat the remaining coconut milk over a low heat until steaming. Put the chocolate and coconut oil in a large bowl and pour the warm coconut milk over the top. Leave to sit for a minute, then gently stir until combined. Spoon the mixture over the caramel and spread it out - don't worry if the caramel comes up the sides a bit. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and leave to set in the fridge for about an hour, then bring to room temperature before slicing and serving.

Steps:

• To make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the pastry. Combine the egg yolk with the ice water in a small bowl, whisking to blend; pour it into the well and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Carefully roll the dough up onto the pin (this may take a little practice) and lay it inside a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan so it fits tightly; press the edges into the sides of the pan. It is important to press the dough evenly into every nook and corner of the ring, especially the scalloped edges. Shave off the excess hanging dough with a knife. Put the tart in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to relax.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the tart pan on a sturdy cookie sheet so it will be easy to move in and out of the oven. Line the tart with aluminum foil and add pie weights or dried beans to keep the sides of the tart from buckling. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and weights. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the crust with a beaten egg white. Return to the oven and continue to bake for another 8 minutes until the tart is golden in color, but not brown. Remember the tart will be cooked again with the filling. It should be cooked but light in color so that it will not burn on the second bake. Set aside to cool and lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• To make the filling: Heat the heavy cream and milk in a pot over medium-low flame, until it simmers slightly around the edges. Remove from the heat; add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smoothed out. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until well incorporated. Beat the eggs in a small bowl until blended and add them to the chocolate mixture, stir until completely blended. Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell and bake at 325 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is set and the surface is glossy. If you see any bubbles or cracks forming on the surface, take the tart out right away - that means it is beginning to become over baked. Cool before cutting.

Steps:

• Place dates, chocolate and cherries in a food processor; process until finely chopped about 1 minute. Add nuts, coconut and sunflower kernels; process until blended. Add oil and vanilla; process until mixture comes together. Roll into 12 balls. Refrigerate, covered, at least 30 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Sift together the confectioners' sugar, flour, and salt into a bowl. Place the butter in a food processor and process until smooth, about 15 seconds. Scatter the flour mixture over the butter, add the egg, and process just until the dough forms a mass; do not over mix. Turn the dough out onto the counter and divide it in 2. Shape each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 1 month. Let the dough stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften. Lightly butter 2 (9 1/2-inch) fluted tart pans with removable bottoms. Dust a work surface lightly with flour. Dust one of the discs lightly with flour and, using a floured rolling pin, roll it out into a rough 12-inch circle. Lift the dough often, making sure that the work surface and dough are lightly floured at all times. Roll the dough up onto the rolling pin and gently unroll it over one of the prepared tart pans. Press the dough into the pan and roll the pin over the top of the pan to remove the excess dough. Prick the bottom of the tart shells all over with a fork. Chill the tart shells for 20 minutes. (The tart shells can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.) To partially bake the tart shells, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter 2 pieces of aluminum foil large enough to generously line each tart pan. Line the tart shells with the foil, buttered side down, and fill with dried beans, rice or pie weights. Bake the tart shells for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and continue baking for 5 minutes, until just set; the tart shells should have little or no color. Cool completely on a wire rack. To prebake the tart shells, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter 2 pieces of aluminum foil large enough to generously line each tart pan. Line the tart shells with the foil, buttered side down, and fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Bake the tart shells for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and continue baking for 8 to 10 minutes longer, until evenly golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Place the chocolate in a medium bowl and set a sieve over the bowl. Set aside. Put the cream in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the pan, add the bean, and bring to a boil. Pour the hot cream through the sieve onto the chopped chocolate. Allow to stand for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate, then whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks and butter until it is melted. Pour the filling into the baked tart shell. Refrigerated until set, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. Bring the tart to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• Place flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add yolks, cream, and vanilla; process until mixture comes together.
• Turn out dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, and flatten into a disk. Wrap well; refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until ready to use, up to 2 days.

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until crumbly. Slowly add water to food processor until mixture comes together. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Flour a work surface and a rolling pin. Roll out dough into a 10-inch disc.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch tart pan.
• Carefully place dough into the prepared tart pan. Trim dough from the edges of the pan. Prick holes into the dough on the bottom and along the sides of the pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 20 to 23 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Pour heavy whipping cream into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes or until bubbles start to form along outside of the bowl. Add chocolate chips and let sit for 15 to 20 seconds. Whisk until smooth. Pour chocolate ganache into cooled crust. Let cool at room temperature until set, about 30 minutes. Keep refrigerated.

Steps:

• COOKIE DOUGH: In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy; beat in eggs and vanilla.
• In another bowl, stir together flour, wheat germ, salt, nutmeg, and baking soda; gradually add to butter mixture, blending thoroughly.
• Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until easy to handle (at least 2 hours) for up to 3 days. Meanwhile, prepare date filling.
• DATE FILLING: In a small pan, combine all the ingredients except the vanilla. Cook over medium heat, stirring and mashing with a spooon, until mixture is thick and smooth. Stir in vanilla.
• Let cool; then cover and refrigerate.
• COOKIE ASSEMBLY: Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Take out 1/3 of the dough, leaving remaining dough in the refrigerator. On a well-floured board, roll out dough to 1/16-inch thickness; cut out with a 3-inch cookie cutter. Repeat with remaining dough, rolling and cutting one portion at a time.
• Place half the cookies slightly apart on greased baking sheets; spoon a heaping teaspoonful of filling into each. Cover each with another cookie and press edges together with a floured fork. Decoratively slash top, if desired.
• Bake in a 350°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to racks and let cool. Store airtight.