Superbly Rich Chocolate Tart Food

CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the pastry. Combine the egg yolk with the ice water in a small bowl, whisking to blend; pour it into the well and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Carefully roll the dough up onto the pin (this may take a little practice) and lay it inside a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan so it fits tightly; press the edges into the sides of the pan. It is important to press the dough evenly into every nook and corner of the ring, especially the scalloped edges. Shave off the excess hanging dough with a knife. Put the tart in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to relax.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the tart pan on a sturdy cookie sheet so it will be easy to move in and out of the oven. Line the tart with aluminum foil and add pie weights or dried beans to keep the sides of the tart from buckling. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and weights. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the crust with a beaten egg white. Return to the oven and continue to bake for another 8 minutes until the tart is golden in color, but not brown. Remember the tart will be cooked again with the filling. It should be cooked but light in color so that it will not burn on the second bake. Set aside to cool and lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• To make the filling: Heat the heavy cream and milk in a pot over medium-low flame, until it simmers slightly around the edges. Remove from the heat; add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smoothed out. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until well incorporated. Beat the eggs in a small bowl until blended and add them to the chocolate mixture, stir until completely blended. Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell and bake at 325 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is set and the surface is glossy. If you see any bubbles or cracks forming on the surface, take the tart out right away - that means it is beginning to become over baked. Cool before cutting.

SUPERBLY RICH CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl combine 1 1/2 cups of flour 1/2 tsp salt,1 tbs powdered sugar and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of butter and mix well until fully incorporated and you have a coarse, cornmeal like texture. Add 3 tablespoons of ice water , mix well, then knead into a soft ball. Cover and place in fridge for 20 minutes. When dough is chilled roll out , place in tart pan, pierce bottom well with a fork and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until golden brown. When tart shell is ready set on a wire rack to cool.
• In a sauce pan combine 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 3 tbs sugar, 4 ounces bakers chocolate, 4 tbs butter. Turn heat on to medium while stirring with a wire whisk to prevent chocolate from sticking to bottom of pan. When all ingredients are melted and mixture begins to bubble remove from heat and pour into tart shell. Tap pan on counter to remove any air bubbles then place in fridge to chill and set.
• Prepare a small amount of heavy syrup in a small saucepan by boiling together 3 tablespoons of sugar with 6 tablespoons of water. When syrup has thickened and is bubbling pour into a bowl.
• In a double boiler melt together 3 ounces bakers chocolate and 2 tbs butter stirring well. When melted add 1 tsp to 1 tablespoon of the syrup mixture to give the tart glaze a nice shine. When all ingredients are thoroughly mixed let sit for just a few moments then pour over tart. Shake pan lightly so glaze spreads evenly to the edges of the tart. Set in fridge for several hours to chill and set.
• When tart is chilled garnish with chocolate ganache or whipped cream and serve.

RICH SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Place the flour with a pinch of salt in a food processor, add the sugar, butter, egg yolk and vanilla and pulse for 30 seconds, or until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Continue processing until the mixture comes together, adding 1-2 tablespoons iced water (a bit at a time) if necessary.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead lightly to form a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 15-20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 190°C, roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
• Wrap the pastry around a rolling pin, then unroll it carefully over the pan you are going to use for cooking your tart, press it firmly into the pan, trim off any excess and lightly prick the base with a fork.
• Cover the pastry with greaseproof paper and half fill the pan with pastry weights or dried beans and blind bake for 12 minutes, or until the pastry is lightly browned; OR follow the directions given in a particular recipe. This pastry is used in my recently posted Onion and Olive Tart Recipe #140798, where there is NO pre-cooking of the pastry. The pastry is simply chilled before the filling is added.

"CAVE PAINTING" CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. On lightly flouredplastic wrap, roll chocolate dough into a6-by-16-inch rectangle 1/8-inch thick. Liftplastic wrap; flip dough over 4-by-14-inchtart tin. Press dough intopan, pressing into corners of tin andagainst fluted edge, and trimming flush with edge. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Prick bottom of crust in several places with fork. Blind-bake crust: Line crust with foil that hangs over edges; fill with dried beans. Bake 20 minutes; let stand 5 minutes. Lift foil and beans from crust.
• In a medium pan over medium-high heat, cook cream, milk, and sugar until cream and milk are scalded, stirring to dissolve sugar. Place chocolate in medium metal bowl. Pour scalded mixture over chocolate; whisk gently. Add eggs; whisk gently. Add extracts; whisk gently.
• Pour chocolate filling into crust. Bake until filling has set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack.
• Using small sifter, sift 2 tablespoons cocoa over tarts. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa with confectioners' sugar. Set stencils over tart. Sift sugar mixture over tart and remove stencils.