Talk about the eleventh hour! Here's my entry for the latest Mini Pie Revolution event, Small Tarts Have Big Hearts. These little white chocolate and raspberry tarts are wearing rich chocolate pate sucree with the smallest web of dark bittersweet chocolate on top for modesty. Don't forget to check out the event round-up over at The Mini Pie Revolution Headquarters on Valentine's Day!
White Chocolate Raspberry Tarts
makes 24 mini tarts
For the pastry:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 large egg yolk
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Cream butter and sugar and then add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the cream and combine. Sift in the flour and cocoa and beat on low speed until just mixed.
Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for about an hour.
Sprinkle some cocoa powder on your work surface and roll out the dough. You'll need to work quickly, as it is very soft. Using a 3 1/2 inch round, cut out circles and carefully pat them into a mini muffin tin. Prick the bottoms of each shell with a fork and chill for 10 minutes in the freezer. Bake at 325 F for approximately 15 minutes or until you smell chocolate. Let the shells cool completely.
For the filling:
Fresh raspberries (I just buy 2 pints and use the left-overs for something else)
10 oz. of good white chocolate, broken into small pieces
1/2 cup of heavy cream
A small amount of bittersweet dark chocolate, melted, for drizzling over the tarts
Place the white chocolate into a double boiler and begin melting. Bring the cream to a boil in a separate sauce pan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Remove from heat.
Place three whole raspberries in each tart shell. Using a small measuring cup, carefully pour the warm white chocolate ganache over the raspberries, allowing it to drizzle down and around them. Let the filled tarts cool.
Drizzle the melted dark chocolate over the tops of the tarts in a decorative pattern. Chill before serving.
Chocolate and raspberries are just perfect for Valentine's Day. I love seeing your take on it. Well done!
Posted by: Aran | February 11, 2008 at 12:37 PM
I am in awe... That has to be the most beautiful tart I've ever seen...
Posted by: Astra Libris | February 11, 2008 at 04:50 PM
Oh my god. I want some!!
Posted by: Sophie | February 11, 2008 at 05:13 PM
Chocolate and rasbperries are the perfect marriage of flavours for Valentine's Day..or any day :D
Posted by: Bellini Valli | February 11, 2008 at 09:36 PM
Be still my heart - if it has raspberries in it - how bad could it ever be. I could eat this right through the monitor.
Posted by: giz | February 11, 2008 at 10:41 PM
Chocolate pastry! A woman after my own heart! ;p
I just finished mine yesterday too! Unfortunately the internet's been weird so I'm just about to post it.
Posted by: Manggy | February 11, 2008 at 11:10 PM
That looks like one deliciously rich mini-tart. :)
I don't know if I'll make it to this mini-pie event (Moot Court is evil), but I'll do my best.
Posted by: Adele | February 12, 2008 at 10:47 AM
I just posted my mini tart entry, but I think I'll actually be making these for Valentine's Day. That photo looks really good, and I'm almost sad at having to wait a couple days to try one...
Posted by: Ben M. | February 12, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Drool. I would extremely love to eat these. They look so good.
Posted by: Ashley | February 13, 2008 at 11:03 AM
i love the little raspberry peeking out from the chocolate!
Posted by: shana | February 14, 2008 at 10:20 AM
Now that's m kind of tart. I spotted it first in the round up above not realizing it was yours. Yum Yum!
Posted by: Pasticcera | February 15, 2008 at 08:36 AM
Ann, these look mouth-watering - and so cute! Lucky person/s who got to share these with you.
Posted by: Cakelaw | February 16, 2008 at 05:38 PM
Aran, we both seem to love that flavor pairing... and why not?
Astra Libris, you are too kind. I think tiny tarts are just cute in and of themselves. :-)
Sophie, lucky for you I froze most of them!
Bellini Valli, you got THAT right! :-)
giz, they're very easy to make... why not treat yourself?
Manggy, I think chocolate pastry is just... well, baaaaad. In the very best way.
That looks like one deliciously rich mini-tart. :)
Adele, we'll see you next time, I hope. We have a really fun event coming up!
Ben M., I'm flattered that you'd make mine over your own. let me know how they came out!
Ashley, get out your mini muffin tin! :-)
shana, it's a but naughty, isn't it?
Pasticcera, I plan to serve a few to Jack this evening when he gets home. A belated Valentine's day. :-)
Cakelaw, nobody got to share them... yet. I ate two and froze the rest!
Posted by: Ann | February 19, 2008 at 10:03 AM
...and I tried one. And it was wonderful. Not only did it taste amazing but the soft interior contrasted beautifully with the crust, and the little blast of raspberry at the centre just made it.
Posted by: Jack | February 20, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Mhmmm your little pie looks really delicious !
a nice recipe:-)
Posted by: Popeline | March 16, 2008 at 04:30 AM