Thoroughly Redundant Chocolate Tarts

Chris Dudley, my voice teacher, had a birthday this past Saturday (March 21, for the record). When asked his favorite flavor, the good fellow specified "It's chocolate all the way for me." So are these tarts.

Thoroughly Redundant Chocolate Tarts

Chocolate Tart Crusts
(Martha Stewart's recipe)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract

1. Pulse flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add yolks and vanilla, and process until mixture just begins to hold together (no longer than 30 seconds).

2. Knead dough a little to soften, but not too much. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

3. Preheat oven to 350. Roll out dough into circles of appropriate size; line a pie plate, tart pan, tartlet pans or even mini-muffin tins with the stuff. Be sure to grease any tin from which you intend to extract an intact tart crust. Pierce with a fork or blind-bake with weights to keep crust from poofing. Bake 12-15 minutes for small tarts, maybe 20 minutes for larger ones.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Custard

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Guittard couverture)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
A few grinds of fresh black pepper
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 325. Melt chopped chocolate and cream together, either in a bain-marie over low heat or in thirty-second bursts in the microwave, whisking each time until ganache is thick and smooth.

2. Whisk egg yolks, egg, sugar, flour, ground black pepper, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend.

3. Gradually whisk ganache into egg mixture until smooth and blended. Pour filling into cooled tart crusts.

4. Bake tarts until filling puffs slightly at edges and center is softly set, about 15-20 minutes depending on the size of your tart.

Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

(Skip the gelatine stabilizer if you don't want cake frosting. Unstabilized chocolate whipped cream is great for general dessert-topping use.)

1/2 teaspoon Knox gelatine
1 tablespoon cold water

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together cream, vanilla, cocoa and sugar. Stick in the fridge and let chill for 15-30 minutes until sugar and cocoa have dissolved.

2. (this step can be omitted) Sprinkle gelatine over cold water. Let sit for five minutes. Warm in the microwave for just a few seconds until mixture is liquid.

3. Whip cream mixture until soft peaks form. Drizzle liquid gelatine into cream. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Pipe over cooled tarts.

Dust with cocoa for thoroughly redundant tarts.