Chocolate Custard Tartlets In Almond Cookie Crust With Saffron Ice Cream Recipes

CHOCOLATE CUSTARD TARTLETS IN ALMOND COOKIE CRUST WITH SAFFRON ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine cream and saffron in custard cup. Place in microwave oven and heat on high until cream is hot, about 30 seconds. Remove cup from microwave and let mixture steep at room temperature 1 hour. Place ice cream in medium bowl; add saffron mixture and stir with rubber spatula until well blended. Spoon ice cream into container; cover and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.
• Bring milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Cool 5 minutes.
• Whisk sugar and cornstarch in medium bowl to blend. Add yolks; whisk until blended (mixture will be thick). Gradually whisk warm chocolate mixture into yolk mixture until smooth. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and starts to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat (mixture may look grainy; whisk vigorously until smooth). Whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer pastry cream to bowl. Let cool at room temperature until lukewarm, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Combine flour, almonds, sugar, and baking powder in processor; blend until almonds are very finely ground. Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until small crumbs form. Whisk cream and yolk in small bowl to blend; add to processor and blend just until moist clumps form. Gather dough together; divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Form each piece into ball. Press 1 dough ball evenly onto bottom and up sides of each of six 4 1/2-inch-diameter tartlet pans with removable bottoms. Trim any excess dough. Pierce crusts all over with fork. Cover and chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crusts until golden and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Cool completely in pans on rack. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.)
• Divide pastry cream among crusts (about scant 1/3 cup for each); spread evenly. Remove tartlet pan sides. Place 1 tartlet on each of 6 plates. Top with scoop of saffron ice cream. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.

CHOCOLATE TART

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.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND TARTS

Steps:

• In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the candy bars, marshmallows and milk. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 45 seconds; stir. Heat 15-20 seconds longer or until the marshmallows are melted; stir until blended. Cover and chill for 7 minutes., Fold in half of the whipped cream. Spoon into tart shells; top with the remaining whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate sprinkles if desired. Refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• For the Dough: Sift dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then add egg. Add dry ingredients until combined. Shape into a ball, cut in half, wrap in plastic and chill one hour (extra dough half can be frozen.) Roll out dough to 13-inch circle and chill one hour. Fit into 9-1/2 inch tart pan (removable bottom works well) and freeze 15 minutes. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes until the dough puffs up. Flatten the bottom with a measuring cup, pressing all around. Bake another 20 minutes until crisp. Cool.
• For the custard: Preheat oven to 250°F Heat cream, milk and sugar. Pour over chocolate 1/3rd at a time, stirring. Beat egg in a separate bowl and whisk in 1/4 of the cream mixture. Whisk egg mix into remaining cream mix. Tap to get rid of extra bubbles. Pour into shell. Bake 40 minutes, rotating pan once. Custard should be set at edges and still jiggly in the center.
• Serve with whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• Dough: Sift the flour with the cocoa and salt. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle on low speed until fluffy.
• Add the egg, and mix just until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients, and mix until a dough forms. Shape into a ball, cut in half, flatten both halves, wrap each in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
• Working quickly, roll out one of the dough balls on a large piece of lightly floured parchment paper to form a 13-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick.
• Place the parchment on a baking sheet, cover the dough with plastic, and chill it for at least 1 hour. Keep the remaining dough in the freezer for another tart.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Carefully fit the dough into a 9½-inch tart shell with a removable bottom, taking care not to stretch or pinch it. Freeze the dough for at least 15 minutes.
• Bake the crust until it puffs, about 10 to 15 minutes. Flatten the base by pressing it down with a measuring cup, then continue baking until the crust is crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Set aside to cool.
• Chocolate Custard: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Place chocolate in a bowl. Bring the cream, milk, and sugar to a boil in a saucepan.
• Add the mixture, a third at a time, to the chocolate, stirring each addition until combined. (If it's added all at once, the chocolate will become grainy.) Beat the egg in a large bowl.
• Whisk in a quarter of the chocolate-milk mixture until just combined, and add to the remaining chocolate. (Do not whisk hard.).
• Tap the bowl to get rid of any air bubbles. Pour the custard into the baked tart shell, filling it to the top.
• Bake for 20 minutes, rotate front-to-back, and bake for another 20 minutes or until the custard is set around the edges but jiggly in the center. Serve with brandy whipped cream.

ALMOND CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Set aside 1 tablespoon almonds for garnish. Chop remaining almonds; sprinkle into a greased 9-in. springform pan. In a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Cook and stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved. Beat into cream cheese mixture. Beat in melted chocolate until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. , Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with reserved almonds. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.