When we make plans to get together with friends, I always volunteer to bring dessert; usually chocolate desserts in the winter and fruit based ones during the summer months. This dessert happens to combine the two; it looks fresh and summery, and yet has a rich layer of chocolate ganache over the buttery tart shell. Having an individual tart for each person makes for a very elegant looking dessert plate and not to mention that each tart is a very generous portion as opposed to making the tart in a 9 inch tart pan and cutting a small slice for each person. On a positive note, there was not a crumb left in any plate, so, that was my queue that they should be made again the same way!
The crust can be made up to a day in advance but the tart is best if the ganache is made a few hours before serving, allowing just enough time for the ganache to set, yet having a perfectly baked tart shell. Since I was going to bring them for a dinner party, I had to make them ahead of time, I decided to use my mom’s technique to prevent the tart shells from getting soggy, she prepares the tarts, lets them cool, brush with melted chocolate and that creates a barrier between the ganache and the crust, that way the tart preserves its melt in your mouth quality for hours.
Crust
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 1 stick (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 4-5 tbsp ice water
Ganache
- 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I used one with 75% cocoa butter)
- 8 oz. heavy cream
- 2 oz. melted chocolate to brush the tart (optional)
- Raspberries
To make the crust, place flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor, pulse for 2 seconds to combine, add the cold butter and pulse until the butter cubes are the size of peas. Start with 2 tablespoons of ice cold water and add 1 tablespoon at a time pulsing, try to avoid adding too much water, the dough should come together when you squeeze the mixture in your hand. Gather the dough together on the counter, form a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll the dough and fit into one large9 inch tart pan or in 4 4 ½ inch individual ones, using the rolling pin remove the excess dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, dock the dough with a fork, and line the tart shell with a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil and use either pie weights or beans. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the weights and return the tart to the oven, bake for another 15 minutes or until the tart looks golden brown, let them cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, heat the cream in a medium saucepan, remove from heat, add the chocolate and gently mix the cream with the chocolate using a rubber spatula, let it cool to room temperature.
Brush the tarts with melted chocolate, refrigerate for about 10 minutes, once the chocolate has hardened, remove the tarts from the fridge, pour over the ganache, chill in the fridge until the ganache is set. Cover the tarts with raspberries and serve immediately.
