Chocolate Mint Tart Food

CHOCOLATE MINT TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon cold water. Add the yolk mixture to the food processor and pulse until it is evenly distributed. The mixture will appear crumbly, but should hold together very easily when pressed. Add a bit more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if necessary. Turn the mixture out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form it into a disc. Wrap the disc in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle 1/4- to 1/8-inch thick. Gently fit the dough into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and trim the top evenly. Repair any cracks or tears in the dough with the trimmings and reserve the trimmings, wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature, to use later if necessary. Freeze for 30 minutes.
• While the shell is chilling, heat oven to 375 degrees. Just before baking, dock the shell all over with a fork, and line the bottom and sides with aluminum foil. Bake the shell until it is cooked through and crisp, about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and, using the leftover dough, repair any cracks that may have formed. Cool the shell on a rack while you prepare the rest of the tart.
• Make the white chocolate ganache: Heat the 1 3/4 cups heavy cream and mint leaves in a saucepan over medium-high until simmering. Turn off heat and let cream steep for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on the leaves to extract as much cream as possible. Reserve 1 cup of the cream, covered, in the refrigerator.
• Heat the remaining 3/4 cup of cream until simmering and pour it over the white chocolate in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk the mixture until smooth, then let it cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. If the chocolate is resisting melting, set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk until smooth.
• Add the butter and a pinch of salt and whip the ganache on high speed for 10 minutes. It will go from slightly translucent to opaque and aerated. Taste and add the peppermint extract if desired. Pour the whipped ganache into the cooled tart shell, smooth the top and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Make the bittersweet ganache: Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the chocolate, butter and salt to a heat-safe bowl and whisk in the hot cream until smooth. If the chocolate is resisting melting, set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk until smooth.
• Use a spatula to spread the bittersweet ganache over the cooled white chocolate ganache. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Just before serving, make the mint cream topping: Whip the reserved 1 cup of infused cream with the confectioners' sugar to soft peaks. Add peppermint extract, if desired. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the ganache and serve the tart cold. Wipe off your knife in between slices for the cleanest cuts.

CHOCOLATE MINT TRUFFLE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine cookie crumbs and 1/4 cup butter; press onto bottom and up sides of an ungreased 10-in. tart pan. Place tart pan on baking sheet; bake until crust is set, 12-15 minutes., In a small heavy saucepan, heat cream and remaining butter over medium heat until bubbles form around sides of pan. Place chocolate chips, sugar and vanilla in a bowl; pour cream mixture over chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted and sugar has dissolved. Slowly pour 1/3 of the warm chocolate mixture into eggs while stirring continuously; return egg mixture to chocolate and stir until smooth., Pour into prepared tart shell. Bake until center is just set (mixture will jiggle), 25-30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. If desired, top with whipped cream, chopped chocolate and chocolate curls. Refrigerate.

CHOCOLATE-MINT TART

Steps:

• Lightly coat an 11-inch, removable bottom tart pan and set aside.
• In a medium-size bowl, using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix the powdered sugar, vanilla, egg yolks and sea salt. Add the cooled butter and mix to a smooth consistency then, add the flour and cornstarch and stir until the dough forms a smooth ball.
• Press about 2/3 of the dough up and around the edge of the prepared tart pan. With the remaining dough make a flat disc and place in the center-bottom of the pan. With your hands and your fingers, press the dough over the entire tart bottom, smoothing with the flat bottom of a measuring cup or flat-bottomed glass.
• Prick the bottom and edges of the crust with a fork, place on a baking sheet and transfer to the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Remove the crust from the freezer, spray a piece of aluminum foil with non-stick spray and press the sprayed side of foil very tightly up against the bottom and up the sides of the crust. Add pie weights and transfer to the middle rack of the oven.
• Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake uncovered for another 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
• Reduce the oven temp to 250°F
• Bring cream, espresso powder and salt to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve.
• Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a medium-size bowl and pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate, cover with a lid or plate and allow to sit for 5 minutes to soften. When it has softened, stir to a smooth constancy with a spatula or spoon. Add the butter, one or two pieces at a time and continue to stir until the butter is well incorporated.
• Pour the beaten eggs through a fine-mesh strainer into the chocolate mixture and mix well. Add the mint in quarter teaspoon increments, tasting to just barely get a mint flavor.
• Pour the chocolate custard into the prepared shortcrust shell, carefully bump the tart pan on the counter several times to remove any air bubbles, and place the tart on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake until the outer edge of the filling is set and faint cracks appear on the surface, 30-35 minutes. The filling will be very loose and will appear to be un-cooked, that is just fine, it will firm up as it cools. Remove from the oven, leave the tart on the baking sheet to cool at room temperature. When cool, place in the refrigerator, uncovered until chilled and completely set, 3-4 hours, preferably overnight.
• Remove the tart from the refrigerator and let it sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the cream and corn syrup and bring to a simmer, stirring to combine. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, cover and let stand for 5 minutes to soften. Stir the mixture until it is smooth, then stir in the hot water until the glaze is shiny and pourable.
• Pour the glaze in the center of the tart, quickly and carefully pick up the tart pan and tilt it to allow the glaze to run to the edge. Continue tilting until the surface of the tart is completely covered. Do not use a spatula to spread the glaze as it will not be smooth. Let the tart sit at room temperature until the glaze is set before transferring to the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
• Before serving, remove the outer rim of the tart pan, slip a thin bladed knife between the crust and metal bottom and slide the tart to a serving plate or cake stand.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE MINT TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Butter the bottom and sides of an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom; set aside.
• Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Place cooled nuts in food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of the flour and pulse until finely ground. Place the ground nuts, remaining flour, and salt into a large bowl and combine. Combine the confectioners' sugar, brown sugar, and egg yolks. Using a wooden spoon combine the sugars and yolks until sugars dissolve. Add the softened butter and begin to add the flour and nut mixture. When it is well combined, form a ball and knead the dough. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap it in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Lightly flour the top and bottom of the dough and roll out between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Turn the dough out into the tart shell and press gently to line the sides. Trim the excess from the edge. Freeze the tart shell for 10 minutes.
• Line the inside of the tart shell with aluminum foil. Place 3 cups of dried beans on top of the foil and place the tart shell on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the tart shell from the oven. Cool on a rack leaving beans inside. When cool, remove the foil and beans. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Place milk in a saucepan. Boil and steep the mint and milk for 10 minutes stirring constantly. Drain and discard the fresh mint. Pour hot milk over chopped chocolate. Let stand for 20 seconds, and then whisk gently. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
• In a large bowl, whisk eggs, yolks, and sugar until blended. Slowly whisk in the chocolate mixture. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the filling into the cooled pie shell. Bake for 20 minutes or until set. Remove the tart from the oven and cool on a rack. When cool, place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour cream over chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let stand for 2 minutes. Add butter, then whisk mixture until smooth. Let cool, stirring often. Use immediately.

CHOCOLATE-MINT TART

Steps:

• For Crust:
• Butter 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Sift all purpose flour, powdered sugar, cake flour, baking powder and salt into large bowl. Add butter. Using fingers, rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg. Stir until moist clumps form. Gather into ball. Flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; freeze 10 minutes.
• Roll out dough on floured surface to 14-inch round. Transfer dough to prepared pan. Press dough gently into pan. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang in and press, forming double-thick sides. Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line crust with foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until sides are set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Reduce crust until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool crust completely.
• For filling:
• Combine cream, butter and sugar in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until butter melts, sugar dissolves and mixture comes to simmer. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and both extracts. Stir until mixture is smooth. Pour 1 cup filling into heavy small saucepan and reserve for glaze. Pour remaining filling into large bowl. Chill until thickened but still spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
• Whisk cold filling just until color lightens, about 2 minutes. Spoon into crust. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Stir reserved 1 cup filling over low heat until just lukewarm. Spread over filling in crust to glaze tart. Chill until glaze sets, about 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.) Serve cold.

CHOCOLATE MINT COOKIE TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, remember if using nonstick turn temp down to 325.
• Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl with electric mixer.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Gradually beat in flour mixture.
• Stir in mint baking chips and milk choc chips.
• Drop one Tablespoon of dough into ungreased mini muffin tins.
• Bake for 11-13 minutes.
• Right out of the oven, drop some of your leftover Andes mint baking chips on top of each tart, then go back and spread/swirl.
• Using a butter knife, pop up tart and transfer to a cooling rack, let cool completely.