Chocolate Ganache Tartlets With Sweet Cherries Recipes

CHOCOLATE GANACHE TARTLETS WITH SWEET CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan bring 3/4 cup cream just to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add chocolate, stirring until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Pour 3/4 cup mixture into a bowl, reserving remainder in pan for glazing tartlets. Add 1/3 cup cream to mixture in bowl, stirring until ganache is combined well. Chill ganache until thick and cold, about 1 hour.
• In a small bowl whisk remaining 1/3 cup cream until just stiff. With an electric mixer beat chilled ganache until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds (do not overbeat or it will become grainy). Remove tartlet shells from tartlet pans (use a thin, flexible knife to help remove shells if necessary). Fold whipped cream into ganache until combined well and spread in tartlet shells, smoothing tops.
• Heat reserved chocolate mixture over low heat, stirring, until melted and just warm. Working quickly, with 1 tartlet at a time, spoon about 1 tablespoon glaze onto top, tilting tartlet to allow glaze to completely cover filling. Chill tartlets until glaze is set, about 30 minutes. Tartlets may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, wrapped in plastic wrap.
• Serve tartlets with cherries.

COCOA TARTLET SHELLS

Steps:

• Into a bowl sift together flour, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda and with a pastry blender or your fingertips blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1 tablespoon ice water, tossing mixture with a fork until water is incorporated, and add enough remaining ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, tossing to incorporate, so that mixture begins to form a dough. Form dough into a ball and divide into 6 pieces. Form each piece into a ball and flatten to form a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Roll out 1 piece of dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into a 5-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick). Discard top sheet of plastic wrap and invert dough onto a 3 1/2-inch tartlet pan (1 inch deep), discarding remaining sheet of plastic wrap. Fit dough into pan and trim flush with edge of pan, pressing dough gently against side of pan. Prick bottom of shell with a fork and chill while preparing remaining shells. Make and chill 5 more shells with remaining dough in same manner.
• Line shells with foil and bake on a baking sheet in middle of oven 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake shells until cooked through, about 5 minutes more (pastry will no longer be shiny). Cool shells in pans on a rack. Shells may be made 3 days ahead and kept in pans in airtight containers.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE TART WITH CHERRY-VODKA SAUCE

Steps:

• For the crust:
• Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
• Combine butter, sugar, vanilla seeds, and salt in a large bowl and stir until evenly incorporated.
• Add flour and stir until just combined and a soft dough forms.
• Sprinkle dough over the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Using a measuring cup or your fingers, evenly press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan (flour the cup occasionally to prevent sticking).
• Cover the tart shell with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Once chilled, prick it all over with a fork and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
• For the filling:
• Place chocolate and butter in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Combine cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves and liquid is just at a simmer, about 4 minutes.
• Pour cream mixture over chocolate and butter and let sit until melted, about 4 minutes. Gently stir until smooth.
• Pour ganache into the cooled tart shell and transfer to the refrigerator.
• Chill until set, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• For the cherry-vodka sauce:
• Place cherries, vodka, sugar, and reserved vanilla bean from the crust in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and stir to combine.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cherries start to break down and syrup has thickened, about 50 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let cool.
• Serve with slices of tart.