Chocolate Ganache Tarts
This is usually made with Pate sucree, better known as French flan pastry which is a very rich but light pastry. The method of mixing is called the ‘well’ method and involves placing of the softened or melted butter, sugar and eggs in a well prior to mixing. The result is an excellent crisp sweet pastry. I have used 4” loose bottom tart shells but it can be made as one large tart. The filling will have to increased marginally if a larger tart is used.
Ingredients
Pastry
- vanilla essence/ extract
- 200 g flour
- 80 g icing or castor sugar
- 100 g butter or margarine
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Filling
- 400 g milk chocolate
- 110 ml fresh cream If you prefer a stronger chocolate use semi sweet dark chocolate.
Servings: tarts (4 “shells)
Instructions
- We will start with the pastry. Place the flour on the counter and make a well in the center.
- Soften the butter/margarine. Place butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in the well and mix with the flour.
- Add only enough of egg yolk to bind the mixture of flour and fat.
- Knead very briefly until smooth. Rest for 5 minutes.
- Place a little of the pastry in the 4” tart shells after rolling it out slightly larger than the base and sides.
- Gently press the pastry with your thumb and fingertips to cover the sides and base of the tart shell perfectly. Prick it all over with a fork. Repeat until all the pastry is used up. Rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Bake the tarts at a slow temperature ( approx 150) for about 15 to 20 minutes. The baked tart will be a light biscuit brown and the aroma will indicate when the tart shell is ready. Cool.
- Break the chocolate into small pieces.
- Place the chocolate in a bowl and heat for 40 seconds in a microwave or over gentle heat in a double boiler.
- Add the cream and heat until the chocolate is completely melted.
- Beat well to combine and pour into the baked tart shells.
- Cool for several hours until set and glossy.