We have a little group of friends and family in this city that we live in, and in this group, every month, there is at least one birthday to celebrate. And if not a birthday, there is definitely Christmas, Onam, Valentine's Day or Easter celebrations. So now you know where I'm going with this......there's always at least one party every month.
It's exciting to plan a party......and the most important part of this planning is the food section. We try to fit in a good meal which can be eaten by every guest - young & old. Finally, to end a fabulous meal....desserts are a must!!! Chocolate is always a winner here.
One of my favourites is the chocolate ganache tart. It is a crispy, buttery tart shell filled with a velvety-smooth dark chocolate ganache. It's very easy to prepare and tastes awesome....and can be made by anyone new to cooking or baking.
Ganache is said to have been invented sometime in the 1850s when a chocolatier’s apprentice accidentally poured boiling cream over some chocolate. Furious, the master chocolatier chastised his apprentice, calling him “ganache,” a term that at the time meant “dimwit” or “moron” in old French. But as it turns out, the resulting silky smooth chocolate-cream mixture was delicious, and the apprentice’s unfortunate nickname stuck.
This anecdote is related by Pierre Hermé in his book “Le Grand livre du chocolat”.Today of course, the term ganache almost always refers to the chocolate kind. It is every chocolatier’s most versatile ingredient, used as a filling for chocolates, truffles, cakes and pastries.
Depending on the proportions of chocolate and cream, a ganache preparation can be soft and spreadable or firm and relatively solid.
In Australia the chocolate tart came to national attention after being featured on the first series of Masterchef Australia in 2009. Subsequently billed as "Australia's most famous dessert", a chocolate tart recipe became one of the deciding factors in determining the winner of the series final, although the recipe had been simplified from the original for the show. (P.S. I'm a big fan of the Masterchef Australia series)
It is a rich and intense chocolate dessert that is satisfying even in small portions. In this recipe, I've made the chocolate tart using a 9 inch tart pan. Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 Cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 Cup cold unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp ice water
For the ganache:
200 ml heavy cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
250 gms dark chocolate
Method:
Using food processor, pulse the flour, sugar and salt to combine thoroughly. Cut cold butter into small cubes.
Add the butter into the food processor and pulse until the consistency becomes that of a coarse meal. (Or if you don't have a food processor, you can mix it up with your hand....that's what I did.)
In a small cup, combine the egg yolk, ice water and stir well together. Add the egg mixture to the food processor and pulse to combine.
Dust working surface with a very small amount of flour. Shape the dough into a disk. (dusted slightly with flour). I usually do it with my fingers pushing the dough away from its centre into a round shape.
Bring the tart pan over the tart dough to make sure the round is larger in diameter than a tart pan. Grease the tart pan. Then, ease the round dough into the tart pan, patting it firmly into the bottom and up the sides.
If some pieces of crust fall off, just gently press them back. Extend the dough slightly above the rim to compensate for any shrinkage during baking.
Wrap loosely in plastic and chill for 30 mins. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C.
Once the crust has chilled, pierce the bottom with a fork in several places. Bake for 30 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Completely cool on a wire rack before filling.
While the tart shell is cooling, make the filling.
Place the cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat and slowly bring to a simmer. Once hot, pour the cream mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for 1 min. then whisk to combine. The ganache is ready.
Pour the ganache filling into the cooled tart shell. Allow to set at room temperature for at least 4 hrs.
Serve the chocolate tart at room temperature. If you plan to serve it the next day, store it overnight in the refrigerator and remember to let it stand at room temperature for two hours before serving.
Enjoy!!!
Did you know that chocolate, especially dark chocolate is actually healthy? It's a powerful source of antioxidants, it helps to lower blood pressure, improves brain functions, reduces heart risks....to name a few of its benefits. Some studies also state that chocolate is a mood-lifter and keeps you happier. You can Google and find out more about this while you enjoy your Tarte au Chocolat!
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