Chocolate Cognac Truffle Tartlets Recipes

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE TART

Steps:

• Make the milk chocolate truffles: In a small pot, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Place the milk chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Start to stir the chocolate in the center in small circles, gradually widening the circles as the mixture comes together and stirring until mixture is shiny, smooth and glossy. (If the chocolate doesn't fully melt, place the bowl over a medium pot of barely simmering water or in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds and gently stir until smooth.)
• Pour the mixture into a 9-inch cake pan or other shallow baking dish. Let firm for 25 to 30 minutes until it appears set but is firm enough to be scooped. If it's still not set, pop it into the refrigerator until it reaches desired consistency.
• While the ganache firms, make the crust: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-low speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix on medium speed to combine. Scrape the bowl well. Add the flour, cocoa and sea salt, and mix on low speed until dough is smooth.
• Place a 9-inch tart pan (preferably with a removable base) on a baking sheet. Turn out the dough into the prepared tart pan and use your fingers to press it into the pan and up the sides in an even layer. Smooth the dough with your fingers to even out any thicker spots, taking particular care in the corners to make sure it's not too thick. Use a paring knife held flush against the rim of the pan, and trim away the excess dough, leaving a clean edge. Dock the base of the dough a few times with a fork. (The crust is ready to be baked now, or it can be chilled for 30 minutes or up to overnight, if desired.)
• Chill the crust while you heat the oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center of the oven. Place the tart pan onto a baking sheet and bake until the crust appears firm and set, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool completely. If desired, gently slide the outside ring off the tart to remove it, and slide an offset spatula around the base of the tart to release it from the base of the pan. Gently transfer the crust to a serving plate.
• While the crust bakes, shape the milk chocolate truffles: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop heaping teaspoon-size rounds of the ganache onto the baking sheet; you should have about 40 (1-inch) truffles. Chill for 5 to 10 minutes to firm slightly.
• Add your desired truffle coatings to small, shallow bowls. Working a few at a time, roll the chilled truffles between your hands to form them into neat 1-inch spheres. (Dust your hands and the balls lightly with cocoa powder in between rolling if it's too sticky.) Place each truffle into the coating of choice and roll until fully coated, then return them to the baking sheet.
• Make the ganache: In a small pot, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Place the dark chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Start to stir the chocolate in the center in small circles, gradually widening the circles as the mixture comes together and stirring until shiny, smooth and glossy. (If the chocolate doesn't fully melt, place the bowl over a medium pot of barely simmering water, or in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds, and gently stir until smooth.) Pour the mixture into the cooled tart crust and spread into an even layer.
• Transfer the truffles to the tart crust, packing them relatively tightly into the crust and pressing them into the ganache in a single, even layer.
• Chill the tart for 30 minutes. When ready to serve, dip your knife in warm water before each cut and wipe it dry after. Store the finished tart at room temperature, in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 4 days.

CHOCOLATE COGNAC TRUFFLE TARTLETS

Steps:

• FOR CRUST:
• Mix first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla in medium bowl until creamy. Add flour mixture and stir with fork until coarse crumbs form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill until beginning to firm, about 20 minutes.
• Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Press 1 dough piece evenly over bottom and up sides of each 4 1/2-inch-diameter tartlet pan with removable bottom. Freeze 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Line crusts with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crusts until set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans (some crust may stick to foil). Bake until crusts feel dry, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to rack; cool completely.
• FOR FILLING AND TRUFFLES:
• Combine cream and butter in medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until butter melts. Add chocolate; stir until melted. Whisk in Cognac. Cool filling 15 minutes.
• Spoon enough filling into each crust to fill (about 1/2 cup for each); reserve remaining filling. Refrigerate tartlets and remaining filling overnight.
• Line small baking sheet with foil. Form remaining filling into balls, using generous rounded 1/2 teaspoonful for each. Place on prepared sheet. Freeze 15 minutes. Roll each truffle in chopped pecans, coating completely. Freeze until truffles are firm, about 1 hour.
• Let tartlets stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Place paper in lattice pattern atop 1 tartlet. Sift cocoa over. Remove strips. Repeat with remaining tartlets. Garnish each with 3 truffles.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE TART

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap a sheet of foil over bottom of springform pan (in case of leaks). Lightly butter side of pan.
• Stir together ground wafers and butter in a bowl until combined, then pat mixture evenly onto bottom of pan and 1 1/2 inches up side. Bake until crust is slightly puffed, about 10 minutes, then cool completely in pan on a rack, about 15 minutes. Leave oven on.
• Make filling while crust cools:
• Melt chocolate and butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth, then remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
• Whisk together eggs, cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined well.
• Assemble and bake tart:
• Pour filling into cooled crust and rap pan once on counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until filling 1 inch from edge is set and slightly puffed but center trembles slightly when pan is gently shaken, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as it cools.)
• Cool tart completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Chill, uncovered, until center is firm, about 4 hours. Remove side of pan and sprinkle with cocoa to serve.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE TARTS

Steps:

• Arrange tart shells on flat surface. Spoon one teaspoon of jelly in center of each.
• Outfit pastry bag with No. 4 star pastry tube. Fill bag with ganache. Pipe out about one tablespoon onto center of tart shell on top of jelly.
• Arrange one meringue, bottom side down, on top of ganache. Pipe equal portions of ganache onto meringue pieces until completely covered. You may add decorative touch by piping a little ganache onto top and sides of meringues, lifting quickly as you work to create porcupine effect.
• Before ganache solidifies, hold small sieve over each tart and sprinkle with light, even dusting of cocoa.