These elegant Dark Chocolate Ganache Tartlets are my new “go to” for a luxury dessert that looks fabulous, yet is pretty easy to make. Once you have mastered a pastry crust, the rest is simple. I have chosen to top mine with Sea Salt Flakes which work so well with the dark chocolate. The tartlets can be filled with custard or pastry cream and topped with fruit or meringues as an alternate.
I am really excited as I am heading off to Australia next week, so thought I would share these little gems before I leave. My first overseas trip this year!!!! It’s a miracle, normally I am all travelled out by now, but it has been a tough year and I had to prioritise my commitments here in South Africa.
I am loving this easy pastry recipe which is delicious and crisp and can be pre-cooked and kept either in a sealed container or even frozen until needed. If you freeze them, remember to refresh them by heating them in the oven again to crisp them up if they feel a little soft.
For the ganache I like to use a good quality dark chocolate. My choice is couverture chocolate which is made with higher percentage cocoa butter and is richer and better tasting than a normal compound chocolate. It is however more expensive, but can be found at most baking shops packed into various size bags. I chop it into small pieces together with the butter in a bowl, before pouring the hot cream over it. If your pieces are too big, the hot cream will not melt the chocolate enough and it will have lumps. The smoother the ganache the better.
Have fun decorating these with whatever takes your fancy. Have a great chocolate week my friends.
- 200 g flour
- 100 g cold butter, cut into small squares
- 50 g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 340 g good quality dark chocolate, cut into small pieces
- 250 ml (1cup) cream
- 4 Tablespoons butter
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Preheat oven to 180ºC.
Place flour, icing sugar and salt in the bowl of an electric beater.
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Add small cubes of butter and beat until fine breadcrumb texture.
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Add the egg and mix quickly to combine.
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Press dough into a sausage shape and wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
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Roll dough out thinly on a floured board and cut to size and press into tart pans of your choice.
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Cover pans with baking paper and cover with dry beans or weights .
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Bake for 15 mins, then remove the paper and weights and bake for a further 5 mins until lightly golden. Keep checking tarts as oven temperatures vary and you dont want them too brown.
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Place chopped chocolate and butter into a large bowl.
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In a small saucepan, bring cream just barely to a simmer. Pour over chopped chocolate and cover bowl immediately with plastic wrap. Let stand 5 mins. Stir with a spatula until combined and smooth.
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Pour into cooled tart shells and allow to set - overnight at room temperature or 1-2 hours in the fridge.
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Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle and decorate with chocolate shortcake balls. Serve at room temperature.
1 Comment
Have a wonderful trip my friend.The tarts look beautiful. Tall, dark and handsome. Lol