Pistachio Pudding Tarts With Chocolate Drizzle Recipes

PISTACHIO PUDDING TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add flour until blended. , Shape into 48 balls (1 in. each); press onto the bottom and up the sides of ungreased mini-muffin cups. Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes; carefully remove from pans to a wire rack to cool completely. , For filling, in a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until set. Cover and refrigerate for 5 minutes. Spoon into tart shells.

CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO FUDGE TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• For the crust: Place the pistachios, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to roughly chop. Add the graham crackers and pulse until finely chopped. Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of wet sand. Press the mixture evenly over the bottom of the springform pan. Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• For the filling: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream, vanilla and salt until just beginning to simmer around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let sit for 2 minutes, and then whisk until smooth and shiny. Pour the chocolate filling over the crust and sprinkle with the chopped apricots. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until ready to serve.
• Serve with whipped cream if desired.

MILK CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO TART

Steps:

• Coat a 9-inch fluted round tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. Make the crust: Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, chopped pistachios, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add sugar, and beat until pale, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add vanilla, then flour mixture; beat until just combined and dough holds together when pressed between 2 fingers. Press dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Roll out dough to an 11-inch round, 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Press dough into bottom and up sides of tart pan. Trim excess dough flush with edges of pan using a knife. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Bake until firm, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely; reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Meanwhile, make the pistachio paste: Pulse pistachios, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until mixture begins to clump together. Add oil, and pulse until smooth and pastelike. Spread evenly into bottom of cooled tart shell, pressing firmly with the bottom of a measuring cup until flat and smooth.
• Make the filling: Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream and milk in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling; pour over chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk until smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in egg until combined. Place tart shell on a baking sheet, and pour in filling. Bake until just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool. Garnish with finely chopped pistachios.

SNOW EGGS WITH PISTACHIO CUSTARD AND CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

Steps:

• Peel and dry pistachios:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Drop nuts into boiling water and cook 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and transfer to a bowl of ice and water to stop cooking. Drain in colander again. Peel off skins and pat nuts dry, then spread in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan.
• Bake in middle of oven until dry and lightly toasted, about 7 minutes, then cool. Coarsely chop 2 tablespoons nuts and leave remaining nuts whole.
• Make pistachio cream:
• Finely grind whole pistachios with 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor. Add 3 tablespoons milk and process to a paste. Blend in 5 tablespoons milk and transfer pistachio cream to a bowl. Chill, covered, 8 hours.
• Make "eggs":
• Whisk together 2 tablespoons sugar and remaining 3 1/2 cups milk in a deep 12-inch skillet and bring to a bare simmer (milk should steam but not bubble).
• While milk is heating, beat whites with lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, a little at a time, and beat until meringue just holds stiff peaks.
• Using an oval-shaped ice cream scoop or an oval soupspoon, form 8 meringue "eggs," gently dropping them as formed into milk mixture (keep milk at a bare simmer). Poach meringues until set on bottom, about 2 minutes, then carefully turn over and poach until set throughout, about 2 minutes more. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plastic-wrap-lined shallow baking pan and make 8 more meringues in same manner.
• Make custard:
• Pour poaching liquid through a very fine sieve into a large glass measure. Whisk together yolks, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and a pinch of salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then slowly add poaching liquid, whisking constantly. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it's thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170 to 175°F on an instant-read thermometer (do not boil).
• Pour custard into a metal bowl and stir in pistachio cream and almond extract. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool custard, stirring occasionally. Pour custard through very fine sieve into another bowl, pressing on and discarding solids.
• Assemble dessert:
• Melt chocolate in a small metal bowl set over a small saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
• Pour custard into 8 shallow bowls or rimmed plates and arrange meringues on top. Drizzle chocolate over meringues and custard and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.