CHOCOLATE TART CRUST
4 oz Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet 1/2 c Cold butter, cut up
-Chocolate 1/8 ts Salt
1/2 c Powdered sugar 1 Egg
1/2 c Slivered almonds 1 ts Vanilla
1/2 c Unsifted flour
-CHOCOLATE TART FILLING-
1/2 c Butter, softened 1 ts Vanilla or Grand Marnier
1/2 c Powdered sugar Fresh fruit: strawberries,
1 Egg -kiwi, bananas,
4 oz Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Green grapes, oranges, etc.
-Chocolate 1/4 c Apricot jam
3 tb Heavy whipping cream
Yield: 8
DIRECTIONS: For crust: Place broken chocolate pieces, sugar and almonds
into bowl of processor or blender. Process for about 20 to 25 seconds until
the mixture is like powder. On top of chocolate mixture in food processor,
spread flour, butter and salt. Process 15 to 20 pulses or until butter is
in very fine pieces. (Or butter may be cut into flour by hand using a
pastry cutter, then combined with chocolate.) Add egg and vanilla. Pulse
about 15 times or stir lightly until mixture sticks together when pinched
with fingers. On plastic wrap, knead a few times to bring dough together to
form a ball; flatten to 8″. It is easier to use your fingers to pat the
dough into tart pan than to roll dough. Use a 10 1/2″ flat tart pan with 1″
fluted sides. Bake in center of oven at 350-F for 15 to 18 minutes or until
baked shell springs back when touched. (Do not overbake.) Cool. Remove
outside ring of pan. Crust may be prepared a day in advance, if desired.
(MY NOTES: this crust seemed too wet before baking, but turned out fine
after about 16 or 17 minutes baking time. It was like a brownie crust.)
Chocolate tart filling: In small mixer bowl, beat butter with sugar and
egg; beat until fluffy. Melt broken chocolate in double boiler, stirring
constantly, or microwave on medium for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Add warm
chocolate to creamed mixture and beat well. Mix in cream and vanilla,
beating until thick and creamy. Spread filling over baked Chocolate Tart
Crust. While filling is still soft, artistically arrange fruit on top. For
fruit glaze, strain apricot jam. With pastry brush, use glaze to cover
pieces of fruit and top edge of crust. Chill about 2 hours. Decorate with
chocolate curls, if desired. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature
before serving.
Yields
8 servings