Mocha Tartlets Recipes

Steps:

• first make the pastry. sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and icing sugar into a bowl. Rub in butter until crumbly. Quickly mix in the eggs until everything comes together with the blade of a knife. Wrap in cling film. Chill for 30 mins. Roll out pastry and line a 21cm fluted loose-bottom tart tin. Chill for 20 mins. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
• line the pastry case with parchment paper, fill with baking beans and bake blind for 15 mins. Remove beans and cook for a further 5 mins. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.
• To make the filling, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave on High for 1-2 mins, then cool. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, then gradually beat in the eggs, yolk, nuts and flour. Fold in the chocolate and coffee, pour into the case and bake for 25-30 mins, until crumbs cling to an inserted skewer (the middle of the torte won't have set completely; it will continue to firm up out of the oven). Serve cut into thin slices, topped with crème fraîche or cream.

Steps:

• Blend flour, powdered sugar and salt in processor 5 seconds. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in yolk and enough water to form moist clumps. Knead dough briefly on work surface to combine; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 16-inch round (scant 1/8 inch thick). Transfer dough to 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough into pan; trim excess. Freeze crust 15 minutes.
• Place tart pan on baking sheet. Bake crust 10 minutes; pierce with toothpick if crust bubbles. Continue to bake until crust is pale golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool crust completely.
• Stir chocolate, cream and espresso powder in heavy medium saucepan over low heat just until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth (mixture will be warm, not hot). Pour mocha ganache into prepared crust.
• Stir white chocolate and cream in heavy small saucepan over very low heat just until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Drizzle over mocha ganache. Using tip of small knife or toothpick, swirl fillings together to marbleize. Refrigerate tart until filling is cold and firm, at least 3 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Push pan bottom up to free tart from pan. Cut tart into wedges and serve.

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 10-inch-diameter springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Wrap outside of pan tightly with double layer of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind cookies and walnuts in processor. Add melted butter; process to blend. Press mixture firmly onto bottom (not sides) of pan. Chill crust while making filling.
• Make filling:
• Bring whipping cream, milk and 1/3 cup water to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Whisk in cocoa powder, chocolate liqueur, espresso powder and vanilla extract.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and beat until well blended. Add 4 whole eggs 1 at a time, then 2 yolks, beating well after each addition and occasionally scraping bottom and sides of bowl. Gradually add hot cream-cocoa mixture and beat until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.
• Bake tart until custard moves just slightly in center when pan is gently shaken and tester inserted into center comes out with some custard still attached, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Remove pan from water; remove foil. Cool tart in pan on rack. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
• Make ganache:
• Bring first 4 ingredients to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and vanilla extract; whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Let ganache stand until slightly cooled but still pourable, about 10 minutes.
• Run small knife around pan sides to loosen tart. Remove pan sides. Place tart on platter. Pour ganache atop tart. Using thin metal spatula, spread ganache evenly over top of tart, being careful not to allow ganache to drip down sides. Using icing comb or tines of fork, make decorative concentric circles in wave pattern in ganache. Garnish top of tart with chocolate coffee bean candies, if desired. Refrigerate until ganache is softly set, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 45 minutes before serving.) Cut tart into wedges; serve.