Chocolate-Raspberry Tartlets

I got these mini-tart pans last weekend at Daiso, the Korean all-items-$2 place in IMM in Jurong. Pretty amazing place, acually, though it was so crowded I kind of had to run away. Maybe I'll try it on a weekday sometime. The dough is enough to make 8 mini-tarts, but if you only make 6 and make cookies from the scraps you can be carefree about the rolling out. The dough tears easily but patches well. Up to you; you might make a bit more filling, or just let them be smaller. This is a good dinner party dessert since you can do all the cooking in advance and then just put them together at the end.

Pastry:
1 3/4 c cake flour
3 T unsweetened cocoa
1/2 t salt
3 T sugar
1 stick (1/2 c) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 egg yolk
ice water as needed (I used about 6-7 T)
6 (or 8) mini tart pans

1. Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in fat using preferred method (knives, pastry cutter, food processor) till biggest lumps are the size of peas. Add egg yolk and a few T water and toss. Add more water as needed till the dough comes together nicely if you pick it up and squeeze it in your hand.

2. Form it into 6 or 8 falttened discs and let them rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Roll each disc out to 1/4 inch thick or so and transfer to individual tart pan. Prick with fork on the bottom a few times. Continue with remaining pastry. Put the tart shells in the freezer for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 375. Bake tart shells 20-25 minutes, till well-cooked. Let cool completely on a wire rack (I was in a hurry and returned them to the freezer once they were no longer too hot to handle, and this worked fine.) You could do this a day ahead.

Filling:
1 250g tub of low-fat cream cheese (this is what I had around)
1/3 c regular cream cheese
1/2 c fine white sugar
1 100g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate bar (70% cocoa)
1/3 c heavy cream

1. Melt chopped chocolate with heavy cream in a microwave or top of double boiler. Heat just till chocolate is glistening but holds its shape, then stir till smooth.

2. Whip cream cheeses with sugar in mixer with flat paddle attachment or with a hand mixer till lightened and fluffy. Add chocolate ganache and mix well. You could do this in advance and then let it warm up a little before filling the tarts.

Assembly:
1 container raspberries

1. Divide filling among tart shells. Arrange berries over the top. Assemble them close to eating time so the shells don't get soft.

Comments

[The Modesto Kid]

All together, now: Mmmmmm....

[Timothy Burke]

Thanks for this one--I just made 48 muffin-size tartlets with this recipe, and they're *really* good, I have to say.

[belle waring]

yay!