TWD: Chocolate Truffle Tartlets

Baking with Julia: Contributing baker David Ogonowski


                         Chocolate Truffle Tart

I must say I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. I thought for sure these were going to be extremely rich and overly sweet which they were not. The tart has a crunchy, cocoa flavored crust and the filling came out with a moist brownie like texture with small chunks of white and milk chocolate and crunchy biscotti in the center. I think a drizzle of raspberry sauce would set this off and make it really pop!

The instructions require you to remove the bottom of the tart pan and place the ring directly on to a parchment covered cookie sheet. I have made several tarts over the years and have never done this and felt uncomfortable doing so and went with what I knew from past experience and placed my tart pan (with the bottom in!) directly on the oven rack. The crust turned out perfect.

I'm glad the notes mentioned that the dough breaks apart at times while rolling out (I think if you let it rest for about 30 minutes after you remove it from the refrigerator you can alleviate most of this - I was short on time.) for mine certainly did as you can see in the photos. I just went with the idea that it was an art project I was piecing together - like you would with clay; otherwise I would have been extremely frustrated.

As I bake I jot down notes on a list so I do not forget what I want to mention in my post. While writing this I am reading one note that my sister wrote down: "My sister had to wait a really long time for dessert while I shot (taking pictures) this." Funny Laura!! Hahaha!

Success meter (1-3): 3

Pastry scraps - could not stop eating...

Makeshift cookie sheet made from foil.

This is best served the day it is made.

Still good the next day; the flavor just

not as intense and the crust softer.

Book Fifty-Seven: Vegetable

by Williams-Sonoma


                  Leek and Goat Cheese Tart

I was originally looking for a light and healthy recipe after eating Halloween candy all week long; and light and healthy to me usually ends up being fish or salad and I had fish two nights in a row this week and salad just did not fit the bill with the cold and rainy day we were having.

I pulled out this book and was ready to make the Escalivada and just have a big bowl of veggies with french bread. Then I saw this recipe and could not pass it up; not only for my love of leeks and Gruyere cheese, but I had all the ingredients on hand except for the leeks! I love when I can use up what I have in the fridge; this does not happen often enough for me. With the rainy day we were having, this sounded so much more comforting than a cold salad. Light and healthy will have to wait...

Oh the aroma...

Success meter (1-3): 3+

amazon

Don't waste your time on a fancy border -

 it does not hold.

make sure to trim your paper if you

think it will hit your heating element.

So much for the fancy border.

Not the best looking crust I have made -

 I also forgot to prick the bottom with a fork

after the first part of baking.

 (did it after the fact)

Pretty in Pink

       Homemade Rhubarb-Ginger Pop Tarts

I have not been able to stop thinking of these ever since I saw them on my favorite blog that I follow regularly.

This is not something you can make on a whim in hopes of having for breakfast that morning (like I did); not only does the dough need to chill before rolling out, the tarts need to freeze for two hours before baking. So if you want fresh warm tarts for your weekend morning, I recommend making them the day before or earlier in the week and popping them in the oven straight from the freezer the day you wish to devour them.  

I changed it up a bit with a filling of rhubarb-ginger jam, for I have been craving the wonderful rhubarb crisp from Chow; and also made them mini in size. Depending on what recipes you read, some suggest removing the strings from the rhubarb which I chose to do. I feel my crust was a little too thick. I would roll it out as thin as you can and add as much filling that will fit without oozing out the seams when pressed together. I was slightly disappointed with my choice of filling for it was not as tart as I would have liked, and the ginger came through as the prominent flavor, rather than the rhubarb. 



I'll have to try the original recipe of strawberry next time, for strawberry never seems to disappoint.

Success meter (1-3): 3