Dark Chocolate And Lemon Ganache Tartlets Recipes

LEMON CURD AND CHOCOLATE GANACHE TART

Steps:

• Grate the lemon zest first, using a fresh, clean lemon. Only grate only the yellow part, avoiding the white pith which can be bitter. Then squeeze the lemons through a strainer for their juice.
• Mix the egg yolks with the sugar in a small heavy bottomed pot. Whisk in the lemon juice.
• Cook on medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken, stirring constantly. Do not boil or the eggs may scramble.
• Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter pieces. When all the butter is incorporated, whisk in the lemon zest.
• Allow to cool in the refrigerator. Yield is approximately 2 cups.
• Heat the cream in a heavy bottomed pot, just until it gets very hot; do not boil.
• Put the chocolate in a heat safe bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Wait a few minutes and then whisk until all the chocolate is melted.
• Yield is approximately 2 cups.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Fit bowl with metal blade. Add flour, sugar and butter to bowl (add salt if butter is unsalted).
• Put on the lid and process in short bursts, about 10 times to break up the butter into the flour.
• Mix the egg yolk and water in a small bowl and with the processor on, pour the egg/water mix through the tube in the lid into the bowl. Keep mixing until the dough forms into a ball inside the bowl. Remove and form into a small cake.
• Cut the butter into the flour and sugar, working it through by hand until it becomes like coarse meal or breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg/water mixture with a fork until it's incorporated and the dough comes together in a soft ball.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Once it is rolled out, put it in a 10" tart pan with removable bottom and press the dough into the edges, pulling off any excess.
• Because the filling for this recipe is not cooked in the tart shell, the crust needs to be baked by itself. To keep the center of the crust from puffing up and cracking during baking, you'll want to weigh it down.
• Cut a piece of parchment paper or foil to fit the bottom of the tart pan (see tip below).
• Pierce the bottom of the dough with a fork and put the paper on top.
• Weigh down with pie weights or beans.
• Bake for 8 minutes or until the edges of the crust begin to color. Remove from oven, and carefully remove the paper and beans. Put the tart back in the oven and bake until crisp and golden, about another 8 minutes. Remove and let cool. Fill.
• 1 baked tart crust
• 1 chocolate ganache recipe
• 1 lemon curd recipe
• Once the crust is baked, allow it to cool.
• Mix up the ganache and while it is still soft, pour it into the crust and place it in the refrigerator to firm up, about 20 minutes. Then spread the lemon curd on top.
• Optional garnishes; chocolate rose leaves, candied citrus peels or slices, chocolate curls.

DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Heat the heavy cream and the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Place the semisweet chocolate in a 3-quart stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth.
• CHOCOLATE MINT XXX'S
• The fantasy begins by placing the chopped chocolates in a medium-size bowl. Heat the cream, sugar, and chopped mint in a 1 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar; bring to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream through a medium-gauge strainer into the bowl of chopped chocolate. Discard the mint. Use a whisk to gently stir until the cream and chocolate come together in a smooth and glistening pool. Pour the mixture onto a baking sheet with sides and use a rubber spatula to spread the chocolate to the edges. Refrigerate for 40 minutes remove the chocolate mint mixture from the refrigerator and transfer it to a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. Line a clean baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the mint leaves on the baking sheet. Form the kisses by piping about 1 tablespoon of chocolate mint mixture onto each leaf, creating a spiral conical shape, about 1- inch high for each kiss Refrigerate the kisses for 30 minutes until firm. Store the kisses, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to a hour remove the chocolate mint mixture from the refrigerator and transfer it to a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. Line a clean baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the mint leaves on the baking sheet. Form the kisses by piping about 1 tablespoon of chocolate mint mixture onto each leaf, creating a spiral conical shape, about 1- inch high for each kiss. Refrigerate the kisses for 30 minutes until firm. Store the kisses, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

DARK CHOCOLATE AND LEMON GANACHE TARTLETS

Steps:

• FOR PASTRY:
• Combine flour, powdered sugar and salt in processor. Using on/off turns, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolk, cream and vanilla. Process until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into disk. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.)
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Using plate as guide, cut out three 6-inch rounds. Transfer rounds to 4 1/2-inch-diameter tartlet pans with removable bottoms. Press dough into pans. Fold in any excess dough; press to form double-thick sides. Repeat rolling, cutting and forming with remaining dough disk, making 6 crusts total. Freeze crust until firm, about 5 minutes.
• Place crusts on large baking sheet. Bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool crusts completely. Remove crusts from pans.
• FOR FILLING:
• Bring 3/4 cup cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Mix in 1 tablespoon lemon peel. Divide chocolate among cooled crusts. Refrigerate tartlets until filling is set, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Combine 1/4 cup cream and 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel in large bowl. Beat until soft peaks form. Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe cream decoratively atop tartlets. Garnish with lemon twists, if desired.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make dough: In a food processor, pulse almonds until finely ground. Add sugar, flour, and salt; pulse until combined. Add butter, pulsing until coarse crumbs form with no large butter lumps (dough should clump together when pinched with fingers).
• Immediately transfer dough to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Using a measuring cup, evenly press dough into the bottom and up the sides of pan.
• Bake in center of oven until golden brown and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Make ganache: Place chocolate in a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour hot cream, through a sieve, over chocolate. Stir until smooth and creamy in texture. Mix in vanilla.
• Pour chocolate mixture into center of cooled tart shell (if chocolate is lumpy, pass through a sieve). Let stand until set, about 2 hours, or refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

MENDIANT TART WITH DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Make the tart shell: In a small bowl, combine the vanilla, 1 whole egg and the yolk of another, reserving the remaining egg white for sealing the baked shell.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Mix on low speed, then add the butter and continue until mixture has a sandy consistency, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla-egg mixture and continue to mix until the dough comes together around the paddle, 3 to 5 minutes. Divide dough into 2 disks and wrap individually in plastic. Chill until dough is cold but not too hard to roll, about 30 minutes. (The second disk may be double-wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to 1 month; defrost in the refrigerator overnight before using.)
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Apply nonstick baking spray to a fluted 8- or 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 chilled disk to 1/8-inch thickness, about 11 or 12 inches in diameter. Gently roll dough onto a floured rolling pin, and unroll into tart pan. Press dough into pan's corners, being sure it remains the same thickness all around. Roll the rolling pin across pan edges to cut off excess dough. Place pan in freezer for about 20 minutes.
• Line tart shell with a 12-inch-round sheet of parchment paper, and pour in 3 cups of pastry weights, dry beans or rice. Bake until edges of dough start to color, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before removing parchment and weights. Return to oven until base of pastry loses its sheen and is slightly golden, another 5 to 7 minutes. Lightly whisk the reserved egg white, and brush it over the entire inner surface of the shell. Return shell to oven to dry the egg white, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before filling. (Cooled shell may be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours before filling.)
• Make the ganache: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, combine cream, honey and salt. Bring to a simmer and immediately pour over the chocolate; allow to sit for 1 minute. Using a spatula, begin stirring mixture in the center of the bowl, widening the circle as the cream and chocolate emulsify to create a silky ganache.
• Pour ganache into shell, filling it to the brim. Allow to rest in a cool place for 10 minutes so chocolate can lightly set. Gently and artfully place toppings on the ganache surface. Let rest in a cool place for another hour, or refrigerate for 20 minutes for a faster set. Serve at room temperature, slicing with a sharp knife first dipped in hot water.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE TARTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth; beat in flour. Drop dough by scant tablespoonfuls into greased miniature muffin cups; with well-floured hands, press dough onto bottoms and up sides of cups., Bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Place chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until firm., Beat chocolate mixture until soft peaks form. Pipe or spoon into tart shells. Garnish with whipped cream, raspberries and confectioners' sugar if desired.