chocolate tart

I decided to start with a simple recipe and this is one of the easiest recipe I can find from the book Patisserie at Home by Anne Cazor and Melanie Dupuis. This book is truly a work of art! If you are the kind to buy cookbooks only if they have full size photo for every single recipe then you would love this one.

There are four components to this tart (tart shell, chocolate cake, ganache, and glaze), all of which are relatively easy and fast to make.

Tart shell

This recipe yields 8 3" tarts but I manage to make 12 with a second round of rolling out the dough. This dough is on the soft side so make sure you are lining the tart when the dough is cold for easy handling.

Chocolate cake

I have a little bit of trouble with this since the batter is too little for the pan size I choose. I bake this on a half sheet tray and it is way too thin. I would double the recipe or change to a small size pan but keep in mind you might not get 12 portions out of it. I punch the cake with a 2.5" ring cutter so it fits perfectly within the tart shells.

Ganache

This step is pretty self explanatory and for the amount that it yields there is just enough mousse for all 12 tarts.

Glaze

Also another easy recipe to make. It is a good idea to have an immersion blender so you can blend the glaze to get rid of any cocoa powder or gelatin lumps. If not, you can strain the mixture and it will give the same result. One little tip I have is to have a torch nearby so when you pour the glaze onto the tart, you can lightly torch the surface to get rid of the tiny bubbles. There are plenty of glaze left over so make sure you save it and use it for other recipes. Just reheat it to 32°C and it is ready to use.

Overall this is a quick and simple dessert to put together. Personally, I think this is on a sweeter and heavier side so I would substitute the ganache for a chocolate mousse to lighten this up a bit. If mousse is not your thing, adding a touch of salt would enhance the flavor and add a nice contrast to the tart.