A friend of ours invited my boyfriend and I for a dinner at his house. He requested a small dessert. Agreeing to something with chocolate or fruit I dug into my recipes. I came up with a small chocolate tart. The crust was a bitter cocoa based shortbread crust and the filling was a sweet chocolate ganache. I topped the dessert with raspberries and blue berries. This was a pretty dessert and it was also delicious. It made for a great sweet ending to the evening.

CHOCOLATE TARTLETS

Ingredients:

CHOCOLATE CRUST

Cake Flour – 1 1/2 cups

Butter – 3/4 cup

Sugar – 6 tbsp

Unsweetened Cocoa – 6 tbsp

Salt – a pinch

Chocolate Ganache

Heavy cream – 1/2 cup

Semi-sweet chocolate chip or chunks – 3 1/2 Oz

(I used Ghirardelli chocolates)

Method:

1. Combine the butter, sugar and salt in a food processor.  Process until blended.
2. Add the cocoa and process until smooth.
3. Add the flour and pulse until the mixture is crumbly but can be pinched to hold together.
4. Divide the dough into six equal pieces, flatter each piece into a disk.  Wrap them in a plastic wrap.
5. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
6. Remove one piece of dough at a time from the refrigerator and roll it into a 6 inch circle between two sheets of plastic wrap.
7. If the dough gets too soft, refrigerate until firm before continuing.
8. Remove the top sheet of the plastic wrap; invert the dough circle over a 4 1/2 inch nonstick tartlet pan with a removable bottom.
9. Keeping the plastic Wrap on top, press the dough onto the bottom and sides of the pan.
10. Repeat with the remaining dough to make six tartlet shells.
11. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
12. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
13. Prick the bottoms of the tartlet shells all over with a fork.
14. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the dough looks dry.
15. Allow to cool completely.

Method:

1. Bring cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat.
2. Coarsely chop chocolate in a bowl.  Add simmered cream (hot) to the chopped chocolate.
3. Let it stand until softened.
4. Whisk until smooth.
5. Place in a larger bowl of cold water or ice cubes and let it stand, stirring occasionally, until cool.
6. Whisk just until mixture forms soft peaks.  Evenly distribute among cooled crusts just by spoon or using piping bag as I have done swirls.
7. Garnish with chocolate chunks or fruits of your choice.

Refrigerate till you serve. Bring to room temperature 15 minutes before you serve.

Original recipe credit from dishesfrommykitchen.com