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

EASY CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• For the crust: Add the cookies to a food processor and pulse to fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and pulse together. Tip into an 11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and press the mixture in with a 1/4-cup measure to form an even crust on the bottom and sides. Put it in the freezer for 15 minutes to set.
• For the ganache: Put the cream and butter in a pan and heat until the mixture starts to bubble.
• Put the dark and milk chocolate in a bowl and pour the warmed cream and butter over it. Mix everything together until melted and fully combined, then pour it into the chilled tart base. Refrigerate the tart overnight until set.
• For the chocolate curl garnish: Put the white chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl and set over a pan of simmering water until the chocolate is melted; mix together. Pour the melted mixture onto the underside of a clean baking sheet and spread it in a very thin layer with an offset spatula or knife. Put it in the freezer until set, about 2 minutes. (To check if it is set, press it with your fingertip; it should leave the slightest mark but not a depression.)
• Using a sharp-edged spatula, scrape the chocolate from the bottom of the baking sheet into curls. Remove the tart from the pan and decorate with the curls.

EASY CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Beat eggs and vanilla extract together in a medium bowl until combined; set aside.
• Whisk milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, brandy, and salt together in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until boiling and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Slowly pour 1/2 of the milk mixture into the beaten eggs while stirring; pour mixture back into the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not boil.
• Let custard cool to room temperature, at least 10 minutes. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

DARK CHOCOLATE COCONUT CREAM TART

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch tart pan with a removeable bottom. Pulse the toasted almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add the cookie crumbs, granulated sugar, and salt. Pulse until combined. Gradually add the melted butter and pulse until a dough forms. Pat the mixture into and up the sides of the tart pan. Bake until the crust is set, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the heavy cream and corn syrup to a simmer in a small saucepan. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Pour the ganache into the prepared crust. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• For the filling: Bring the coconut milk and whole milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until pale and thickened. Gradually add a quarter of the hot milk mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in the remaining milk and return the mixture to the saucepan.
• Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens (do not boil). Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter, vanilla, and toasted coconut. Pour into the prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until cooled, about 30 minutes.
• For the almond whipped cream: Beat the heavy cream and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add the almond extract, if desired, and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Spoon the whipped cream over the tart and garnish as desired.

SHORTBREAD CRUST FOR CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy with electric mixer (about 3 minutes).
• Add extract; mix thoroughly (1 minute).
• Incorporate flour little at a time; mixing until thoroughly combined.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
• Turn dough out on a lightly floured board and roll out to 1/3" thickness.
• Line a tart pan (10" x 1" high with removable bottom) with the pastry dough.
• Prick dough and place in a preheated oven at 350 degrees.
• Bake for 15- 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven; cool and fill with pastry cream top with fresh fruit (kiwi, banana, strawberry, green seedless grapes, blueberries).

BANANA TARTLETS WITH CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

Steps:

• For custard: Whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt in medium bowl to blend. Bring milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until custard thickens and boils, about 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and rum and whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Transfer custard to bowl. Place plastic wrap directly atop surface of custard. Refrigerate overnight.
• For crust: Blend all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt in processor. Cut in chilled butter using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1/4 cup ice water and process until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough together; divide into 6 equal balls. Flatten each ball into disk. Wrap each disk in plastic; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Roll out 1 dough disk to 7-inch round. Transfer to 4 1/2-inch tartlet pan with removable bottom. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang in, pressing and forming double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork. Repeat with remaining 5 dough disks. Freeze crusts 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crusts until golden brown and baked through, piercing with fork if crusts bubble, about 40 minutes. Cool completely in pans on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight in tartlet pans at room temperature.)
• Preheat broiler. Divide custard equally among crusts (generous 1/4 cup for each). Place banana slices decoratively atop each tartlet, covering custard completely. Brush bananas lightly with water. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon brown sugar over bananas on each tartlet. Broil just until sugar melts and bubbles, about 1 1/2 minutes. Garnish with cream, if desired.

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.