French Chocolate Orange Truffle Tart Recipes

CHOCOLATE ORANGE TART

Steps:

• To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pulse the cookies in a food processor until pulverized, completely fine and broken down to about 1 1/2 cups. Add the brown sugar and melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are wet and sand-like. Remove from the food processor and press the crumbs evenly into a 9-inch tart pan, ideally with a removable bottom. Reserve any leftover crumbs for another use.
• Bake for 9 minutes. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.
• To make the filling: Add the chocolate chips to a large microwave-safe bowl.
• Bring the heavy cream and butter to just simmering in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula until melted and smooth. If the chocolate isn't completely melted, heat in the microwave for several seconds and stir, until melted. Stir in the orange liqueur and orange zest. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust.
• Refrigerate the tart at least 4 hours to allow the filling to set. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve, then remove the tart from the pan and top with flaky sea salt, orange zest, cocoa powder or raspberries, if desired. You can also top with whipped cream or chocolate curls.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE TART

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap a sheet of foil over bottom of springform pan (in case of leaks). Lightly butter side of pan.
• Stir together ground wafers and butter in a bowl until combined, then pat mixture evenly onto bottom of pan and 1 1/2 inches up side. Bake until crust is slightly puffed, about 10 minutes, then cool completely in pan on a rack, about 15 minutes. Leave oven on.
• Make filling while crust cools:
• Melt chocolate and butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth, then remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
• Whisk together eggs, cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined well.
• Assemble and bake tart:
• Pour filling into cooled crust and rap pan once on counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until filling 1 inch from edge is set and slightly puffed but center trembles slightly when pan is gently shaken, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as it cools.)
• Cool tart completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Chill, uncovered, until center is firm, about 4 hours. Remove side of pan and sprinkle with cocoa to serve.

DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place confectioners' sugar and walnuts in a food processor; pulse until walnuts are finely chopped. Add flour, cocoa and salt; pulse until blended. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs., Press dough onto bottom and up sides of a greased 9-in. fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Bake 10 minutes., Meanwhile, for filling, in a double boiler or metal bowl over hot water, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Stir in cream and espresso powder. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Whisk in eggs, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla., Pour filling into warm crust. Bake 20-25 minutes or until center is just set (mixture will jiggle). Cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with cocoa before serving.

DECADENT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE TORTE

Steps:

• Get your equipment ready (see tips below). Break the chocolate in small pieces into a large heatproof bowl. Spoon in the syrup and pour in about a quarter of the cream. Stand the bowl over (not in) a pan of hot water over the lowest possible heat and leave until the chocolate has melted, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir to combine. Leave until barely warm - dip your little finger in to check.
• Get your cake tin ready. Do this while you are waiting for the chocolate to melt and cool so you're not hanging around. Cut open the plastic folder along the bottom, then cut out a disc to fit in the bottom of the tin and 3 strips to line the sides. (See step 2).
• Pour the rest of the cream into a very large bowl and tip in the coffee and cinnamon. Whip with a balloon whisk until the cream looks like step 3. When you shake the bowl the cream should wobble like a thick milkshake, and when you dribble some cream from the whisk, the trail it leaves in the cream below should disappear in 1-2 seconds.
• Fold the two together. Pour the cooled chocolate into the bowl containing the cream. With the largest metal spoon you've got, fold the cream and chocolate together in a figure-of-eight motion. Don't be nervous - keep going until they are evenly and smoothly mixed and the mixture has a soft, pillowy, downy texture - you will see and feel it thicken as you fold.
• Set the torte. Pour the chocolatey cream into the tin and level the surface with the back of the spoon. Put the tin in the fridge and leave to firm up. This can happen in under an hour, but you may need to leave it longer, depending on the coldness of your fridge (you can leave it overnight if this is more convenient).
• Unmould and serve. Unclip and remove the side of the tin, then remove the pieces of plastic around the sides. Invert a serving plate over the torte and turn the torte upside down on to it. Lift off the tin base and peel away the plastic. Dust all over with cocoa (including the plate if you wish to be fashionable) and serve in thin slices.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE TART

Steps:

• Make the milk chocolate truffles: In a small pot, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Place the milk chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Start to stir the chocolate in the center in small circles, gradually widening the circles as the mixture comes together and stirring until mixture is shiny, smooth and glossy. (If the chocolate doesn't fully melt, place the bowl over a medium pot of barely simmering water or in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds and gently stir until smooth.)
• Pour the mixture into a 9-inch cake pan or other shallow baking dish. Let firm for 25 to 30 minutes until it appears set but is firm enough to be scooped. If it's still not set, pop it into the refrigerator until it reaches desired consistency.
• While the ganache firms, make the crust: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-low speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix on medium speed to combine. Scrape the bowl well. Add the flour, cocoa and sea salt, and mix on low speed until dough is smooth.
• Place a 9-inch tart pan (preferably with a removable base) on a baking sheet. Turn out the dough into the prepared tart pan and use your fingers to press it into the pan and up the sides in an even layer. Smooth the dough with your fingers to even out any thicker spots, taking particular care in the corners to make sure it's not too thick. Use a paring knife held flush against the rim of the pan, and trim away the excess dough, leaving a clean edge. Dock the base of the dough a few times with a fork. (The crust is ready to be baked now, or it can be chilled for 30 minutes or up to overnight, if desired.)
• Chill the crust while you heat the oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center of the oven. Place the tart pan onto a baking sheet and bake until the crust appears firm and set, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool completely. If desired, gently slide the outside ring off the tart to remove it, and slide an offset spatula around the base of the tart to release it from the base of the pan. Gently transfer the crust to a serving plate.
• While the crust bakes, shape the milk chocolate truffles: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop heaping teaspoon-size rounds of the ganache onto the baking sheet; you should have about 40 (1-inch) truffles. Chill for 5 to 10 minutes to firm slightly.
• Add your desired truffle coatings to small, shallow bowls. Working a few at a time, roll the chilled truffles between your hands to form them into neat 1-inch spheres. (Dust your hands and the balls lightly with cocoa powder in between rolling if it's too sticky.) Place each truffle into the coating of choice and roll until fully coated, then return them to the baking sheet.
• Make the ganache: In a small pot, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Place the dark chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Start to stir the chocolate in the center in small circles, gradually widening the circles as the mixture comes together and stirring until shiny, smooth and glossy. (If the chocolate doesn't fully melt, place the bowl over a medium pot of barely simmering water, or in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds, and gently stir until smooth.) Pour the mixture into the cooled tart crust and spread into an even layer.
• Transfer the truffles to the tart crust, packing them relatively tightly into the crust and pressing them into the ganache in a single, even layer.
• Chill the tart for 30 minutes. When ready to serve, dip your knife in warm water before each cut and wipe it dry after. Store the finished tart at room temperature, in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 4 days.