Chilled Black Bottom Tart Recipes

BLACK BOTTOM TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough 1/8 inch thick. Fit dough into 2 rectangular 13 3/4-by-4 1/4-inch tart shells, letting it fall naturally into the corners and being careful not to stretch the dough. With your fingers or a rolling pin, trim dough so that it is flush with top edge of tart shells. Prick the tart shell all over with the tines of a fork. Chill until firm, at least 45 minutes.
• Line dough with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or lentils. Transfer to oven and bake until tart shells begin to color, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove the dried beans and parchment and return to the oven and bake until the tart shells become a deep golden color, about 15 to 20 minutes more. Cool completely on a cooling rack.
• In a heavy saucepan, dissolve 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch in the cold milk. Stir in the scalded milk, place the mixture over direct heat, and boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler.
• Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl and stir in 3 tablespoons of the milk mixture. (This will keep the egg yolks from curdling when added to the remaining hot milk.) Pour this back into the remaining milk mixture, and cook over simmering water for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes quite thick. Remove from the heat and put 1 cup custard in a small bowl. Stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla, and set aside to cool completely. When cooled, spread evenly in the tart shell and chill until set.
• Meanwhile, soften the gelatin in the cold water and add to the remaining hot custard. (The gelatin will not dissolve properly if the custard has cooled.) Stir to combine. Fold in the rum and let the mixture cool at room temperature until it just begins to set.
• Beat the egg whites with the salt and cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and then fold the egg whites into the custard mixture. Spoon this evenly over the chocolate mixture. Chill until set.
• Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator. Using a sharp metal pastry scraper held at a 45-degree angle, scrape off a strip of chocolate from the pan; the chocolate will curl as it is scraped. Chill or freeze until the curls are firm and ready to use.
• The type of curl you get will be determined largely by the temperature of the chocolate when you remove it from the refrigerator. If it is very cold, the chocolate will splinter when scraped and give you small "thatch." If the chocolate is a little less cold, you will produce tight curls. And if the chilled chocolate approaches room temperature (or if a lightly pressed finger leaves a slight print), you will have big, loose curls or sheets of chocolate, which can be used as "bark." The type of curl you produce will also depend on how you scrape the chocolate from the sheet.
• Whip the cream until stiff and spread or pipe over the custard. Garnish as desired with chocolate thatch. Chill until ready to serve.

BLACK-BOTTOM PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Stir together graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until crust is set and begins to turn golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Make the filling: Sift together sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt into a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until almost boiling. Reduce heat to medium; add chocolate. Cook, stirring constantly, until chocolate has melted and mixture is thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla until smooth. Spread chocolate mixture over crust. Refrigerate until cold and firm, about 1 hour.
• Make the topping: Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl. Let stand until soft, about 3 minutes. Whisk 1/4 cup sugar, the cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and boiling, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in gelatin mixture, and let cool completely. Stir in vanilla and rum. Briefly place pan in an ice-water bath to thicken slightly, if needed. Do not let it set completely. Set aside.
• Put egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-low speed until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low; continue beating while you make syrup.
• Bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Brush down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Cook, without stirring, until syrup registers 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Raise mixer speed to high, and beat egg whites just until stiff peaks begin to form. Immediately pour syrup into egg whites in a slow, steady stream near side of bowl, avoiding whisk. Beat until glossy and cooled, about 7 minutes.
• Fold meringue mixture into reserved gelatin mixture in 3 batches until just combined. Mound the mixture into the chocolate-filled crust. Refrigerate pie for 2 1/2 hours or overnight before serving.

BLACK BOTTOM PIE

Steps:

• To make the crust: Lightly butter a 10-inch pie plate. On a lightly floured board, roll out the half of the pate brisee to a 1/8-inch thickness (unused dough can be wrapped and plastic and stored in the refrigerator or freezer). Place the dough in the pie plate, and press it into the bottom edges and along the sides. Trim the dough using scissors or a sharp paring knife. Crimp or decorate the edges of the crust if desired. Chill crust for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Carefully line the pie plate with parchment paper, gently pressing the parchment into the edges of the crust; weigh down parchment with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until edges of pastry begin to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove pie weights and parchment paper. Continue to bake until crust is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer the crust to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the filling: Prepare an ice-water bath. In the top of a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, melt chocolate; set aside. Place 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl, and sprinkle gelatin over it; set aside to soften.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, and the cornstarch; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine milk and 1/4 cup sugar. Bring just to a boil. Add about one-quarter of the hot-milk mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until combined. Return egg-milk mixture to saucepan, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat when mixture has boiled and thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Measure out 1 cup of custard, and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla to it, stirring until the chocolate is melted. Transfer the bowl to the ice-water bath to cool completely. When cool, spread evenly in the bottom of the pie crust. Transfer pie crust to refrigerator until set, about 5 minutes. Add softened gelatin to remaining custard. Transfer pan to the ice-water bath to cool until just beginning to set.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. With machine running, gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and beat until stiff glossy peaks form. Stir 1/3 of whipped egg whites into custard to lighten. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining whites and rum. Spread over chocolate layer. Refrigerate pie for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
• Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Spread over custard or pipe on top with a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Sprinkle chocolate shavings on top. Chill until ready to serve.

BLACK BEAN TART WITH CHILI CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Make crust:
• In a bowl with a pastry blender or in a food processor blend or pulse together flour, spices, and salt until combined well. Add butter and blend or pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water and blend or pulse until incorporated and mixture forms a dough.
• Press dough evenly onto bottom and sides of a 10-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim and chill 15 minutes, or until firm. Line shell with foil and fill with rice. Bake shell in middle of oven until edge is set, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove foil and rice and bake crust 10 minutes more, or until golden. Cool crust in pan on a rack. Crust may be made 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature, covered loosely with plastic wrap.
• Make filling:
• In a bowl soak dried beans if using in water to cover by 2 inches overnight and drain. In a large saucepan combine soaked beans, bay leaf, onion, and water to cover by 2 inches and simmer, uncovered, 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until tender, adding more water if necessary. Drain beans, discarding bay leaf, and cool.
• In a food processor purée 1 cup cooked or canned beans with sour cream until smooth and season with salt and pepper.
• In a skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté corn with salt and pepper to taste, stirring, about 2 minutes. Cool corn.
• In a large bowl stir together corn, whole beans, bell pepper, coriander, Monterey Jack, jalapeños, and scallions and season with salt and pepper.
• Spread bean purée evenly onto crust and mound with remaining filling, pressing gently. Bake tart in middle of oven about 20 minutes, or until hot and cheese is melted. Let tart cool in pan on a rack 15 minutes.
• Remove rim of pan and serve tart warm or at room temperature with lime sour cream.
• Make lime sour cream:
• In a bowl whisk sour cream and lime juice with salt and pepper to taste. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Makes about 1 cup.

CHOCOLATE BLACK-BOTTOM PIE

Steps:

• In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave 1 1/4 cups cream until hot, about 3 minutes. Add chocolate and let stand until melted, 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk to combine, then whisk in rum. Pour 1 1/2 cups chocolate mixture into crust (reserve remaining chocolate mixture). Sprinkle nuts over top. Refrigerate pie 3 hours (or up to 2 days).
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 2 cups cream with sugar on high until stiff peaks form, 2 minutes. Top pie with whipped cream, then dot with reserved chocolate mixture. With a skewer, gently swirl chocolate through whipped cream.

BLACK-BOTTOM KEY LIME TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In food processor, place flour, butter, powdered sugar and salt. Cover; process, using quick on-and-off motions, until dough forms a ball. Press dough firmly and evenly in bottom and up side of ungreased 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Place chocolate chips in small bowl. In small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup whipping cream over medium heat just until hot. Pour over chocolate chips; let stand 2 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Pour into partially baked crust, spreading to edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm.
• In medium bowl, mix condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice, lime peel and food color with whisk until blended. Pour filling over chocolate layer.
• Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 2 hours. Cover; refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours but no longer than 2 days. Garnish with whipped cream and lime slices. Store covered in refrigerator.

BLUEBERRY AND BUTTERMILK TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: With an electric mixer on low speed, beat butter and 1/4 cup sugar until just combined, about 15 seconds. Add flour and salt, and beat until dough comes together, about 3 minutes. Shape into a disk.
• Pulse remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Scatter half of the almond mixture onto a clean work surface, and place dough on top. Scatter the remaining almond mixture on top, and roll out dough, resprinkling with almond mixture and incorporating into dough, until dough measures an 11-inch square.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Fit dough into a 9-inch square tart pan with removable bottom, pressing into bottom and up sides. Trim dough flush with rim. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 day).
• Bake tart shell, occasionally pressing bottom to flatten using the bottom of a glass, until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
• Make the filling: Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Heat cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Add gelatin mixture, and stir until it has dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool. Stir in buttermilk and lemon juice.
• Remove tart from pan. Spread custard into crust. Refrigerate until custard is slightly set, about 15 minutes. Scatter blueberries evenly over top. Refrigerate until custard is firm, about 2 hours (or up to 1 day). Cut into squares to serve.

FROZEN CAFé-MOCHACCINO TART

Steps:

• Crust: In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, salt, and cocoa to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces remaining. Stir together yolk and cream; drizzle over flour mixture, pulsing several times to combine. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing evenly into bottom and up sides. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Prick bottom of crust at 1-inch intervals with the tines of a fork. Bake until set and dry, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, temper both ice creams in refrigerator until softened but not melting, about 20 minutes. Stir together ice creams until no streaks remain; transfer to cooled crust, spreading all the way to edges and smoothing top with an offset spatula. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour (or wrap in plastic at this point and freeze up to 1 week).
• Caramel Meringue: In a small saucepan, combine 6 tablespoons sugar, salt, and 1 tablespoon water. Cover; cook over medium heat, swirling a few times, until boiling and sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Uncover; continue boiling, undisturbed, until mixture turns medium amber, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat. Carefully add cream (it will bubble and splatter); stir until smooth. Transfer to a heatproof bowl.
• Combine egg whites, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, and cream of tartar in a heatproof mixer bowl set over (but not in) a pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly just until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (it should feel smooth when rubbed between your fingers). Remove from heat; beat on high speed until stiff peaks form and mixture is no longer warm to the touch, 7 to 9 minutes.
• Reduce speed to low and beat in a scant 1/4 cup caramel just to combine (do not overmix; caramel will still be warm). Spoon meringue over ice cream and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours (tart can be wrapped in plastic at this point and frozen up to 3 days). Cover and refrigerate remaining caramel until ready to serve.
• Remove tart from pan; transfer to a cake plate. Drizzle top with remaining caramel (or serve alongside); sprinkle with cocoa nibs or decorate with chocolate espresso beans. Cut into wedges, dipping knife blade in hot water and wiping clean between each cut to ensure clean slices.

CHERRY TART

Steps:

• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to a 12-inch round, a bit less than 1/4 inch thick; fit in a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line shell with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fill with pie weights. Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk together milk and egg yolks in a glass measuring cup. Add milk mixture to the saucepan, along with butter. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Let boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
• Strain pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and immediately whisk in 4 teaspoons cherry liqueur. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Just before using, whisk until smooth.
• Fold whipped cream into chilled pastry cream and transfer to cooled tart shell. Working from the outside in, shingle cherries in concentric circles to cover completely.
• Heat preserves in a small saucepan over medium heat until warm. Add remaining teaspoon kirsch and stir to combine. Brush mixture over cherries. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

BLACK BOTTOM CUPCAKES I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins with paper cups or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center and add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir together until well blended. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter and top with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

BLACK BOTTOM TARTS

Steps:

• Unfold each pastry and roll to 1/8" thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using a 2-1/2" round cutter, cut out 24 circles from each pastry. Place circles in ungreased miniature (1-3/4") muffin pans. Prick pastry with a fork.
• Bake at 425° for 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pans on wire racks.
• Combine pudding mix and milk and cook pudding according to package directions for PIE FILLING.
• Remove 1/2 cup hot pudding to a separate bowl. Add chocolate morsels, stirring until smooth. Spoon 1 teaspoon chocolate mixture into bottom of each pastry.
• Stir rum or rum extract into remaining pudding. Spoon evenly over chocolate mixture in each pastry.
• Chill 2 hours.
• Pipe or dollop each tart with pre-whipped whipping cream.
• Garnish with chocoate shavings, if desired.
• Note: To make this into a 9-inch pie, spoon chocolate mixture into the bottom of a pre-baked 9-inch pastry shell. Cover chocolate mixture with rum-flavored pudding. Dollop with pre-whipped cream and garnish, if desired.
• Cooking Time is Chill Time.