Painted Chocolate Fruit Tartlets Recipes

Steps:

• Using the palette template provided, trace the shape onto a piece of cardboard and cut it out, creating a stencil. Spread a 1/8-inch-thick layer of the white chocolate onto a sheet of parchment paper or acetate. Let the chocolate set slightly, about 4 to 5 minutes. The chocolate will be firm enough to cut but it will not be hard. Place the cardboard stencil on top of the chocolate, and with the tip of a sharp paring knife, cut all the way through the chocolate, working quickly before the chocolate becomes too hard. Peel off the paper or acetate from what is now the top. Remove the cut palette and set aside for assembly.
• To make the paintbrushes, use a cornet half filled with bittersweet chocolate. Pipe a 1/8-inch-thick 4-inch-long line onto a clean sheet of parchment paper or acetate. Pipe an extra 1/2-inch teardrop at one end of the chocolate line.
• To make the paints, mix the cocoa butter and a small amount of powdered food coloring together (it will be easier if you use a yogurt machine to store and warm your paints). Using a paintbrush, create paint spots on the palette, applying as many colors as you are inspired to do.
• To assemble, set the palette on a plate. Rest the ends of the paintbrush in the finger hold. Place chocolate bonbons on the palette near each paint color.
• How to Temper Chocolate(From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Using a 4-in. round cookie cutter, cut 12 circles, rerolling scraps as necessary. Press circles onto bottoms and up sides of ungreased muffin cups., Mix sugar and cornstarch; toss with berries and lemon juice. Spoon 2 tablespoons filling into each cup. Bake on a lower oven rack until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 24-26 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack; cool completely., For topping, beat cream until soft peaks form. In another bowl, mix lemon curd, sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon whipped cream; fold in remaining whipped cream. Spoon over filling. If desired, top with fresh berries. Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together in a bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons butter using a pastry cutter or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in egg and egg yolk until dough comes together.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Transfer to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Bake in the preheated oven until dry to the touch, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the pastry cream. Bring milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan.
• Whisk eggs, sugar, and flour together in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in hot milk, a little at a time, until custard is smooth. Pour custard back into the saucepan; add lemon zest. Cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream thickens and comes to a boil, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, discard lemon zest, and let cool.
• Remove tart crust from the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Unmold crust and fill with cooled pastry cream. Pile cherries in the center. Arrange peach slices in a ring around the cherries. Arrange kiwi slices in a ring around the peaches.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to an 1/8-inch thickness. With a 3 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut dough into 24 rounds (reroll scraps if necessary), then press into 24 standard muffin cups (dough should come 3/4 inch up sides). Freeze until firm, 10 minutes (or up to 1 day).
• Bake until shells are golden, 18 minutes. Let cool completely in pan.
• In a medium heatproof bowl, combine chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a bare simmer over medium-high. Immediately pour over chocolate, add vanilla, and let sit 1 minute. Stir gently until mixture is completely smooth. Pour chocolate into cooled shells and refrigerate until set, 20 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with coarse salt.

Steps:

• For the curd: Fill a medium saucepan 1/3 full of water. Bring to a low boil. In a stainless steel bowl whisk together the egg yolks, eggs, and sugar. Stir in the passion fruit juice. Set the bowl into the pot of water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Cook the mixture, stirring frequently until thick, about 10 minutes. Strain the curd. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until cold. Fill the tartlet shells with the curd. Set aside.
• For the meringue: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Fill a medium pot 1/3 full of water. Bring the water to a slow boil. In a bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl in the hot water and cook, whisking continually until hot. Remove from the water and place the bowl on the electric mixer. Whip on medium until stiff. Place the meringue in a pastry bag. Pipe it on top of the tartlets, completely covering the curd. Bake the tartlets until the meringue is golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 5 (4 1/2-inch) tartlet pans with nonstick spray.
• Divide the cookie dough into 5 equal-sized balls. Press each dough ball into the tartlet pans; making sure it covers the sides and bottoms. Put the pans on a cookie sheet and bake until golden, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and let cool completely. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees F.
• Put the chopped chocolate into a bowl. Add the heavy cream to a small saucepan over low heat. Bring the cream up to a low simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Stir or whisk the chocolate and cream until smooth and melted. Stir in the corn syrup, sugar, and salt. Whisk in the beaten egg. Ladle the filling into the cooled tart shells and bake until the filling is set and the surface is glossy, about 15 to18 minutes. Remove the tartlets from the oven and let cool. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings and serve.

Steps:

• Line tartlet tins with the pastry (use boat-shaped tins if you have them). Bake blind in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. When cold, brush the inside of the tartlet cases with the melted chocolate and leave to harden.
• Mix together the cream cheese and double cream until very smooth, then add the sugar and vanilla essence. Fill the tartlet cases with the cream mixture and arrange the fruit on top. Brush with the apricot or red currant glaze, depending on the fruit used, and leave to set.
• Sift the flour and salt together and rub in the butter and lard until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add the cheese, if using, and bind with a little cold water. Chill for 30 minutes and then roll out and use as above.