Double Chocolate & Strawberry Tartlets

Ok, I know I’m supposed to be writing about BBQ. It’s summer, and I only recently bough a new grill, and yada, yada, yada. But, the thing is I was trying a new recipe on the grill, and I unfortunately incinerated a rack of ribs. Yes, I do mean incinerated; and there is still a bunch of junk stuck to the girl that I haven’t yet cleaned off properly. So.. you know, more dessert it is! Anyway, what can I say? I’m a dessert fiend guys. And even though, lately, I’m eating less sugar then ever before (well at least since I was a kid and my mom fed me) I still love, love, love to bake. 

My latest baking obsession has been mini tarts. Ever since I made those Berries and Cream Tartlets a while back I just keep having ideas for new tartlets! And naturally, a chocolate version was going to come up at some point right?

This one is a true chocolate lovers dessert. Crust: chocolate. Filling: chocolate. And a little bit of strawberry and whipped cream, you know, for some color. Though I suppose if you really wanted to you could make the whipped cream chocolate too if you wanted…. Oh no, new tart idea coming to me. Anyhow, this double chocolate tartlet will not disappoint. Enjoy! 

Double Chocolate & Strawberry Tartlets– Yields 6 tartlets. Crust adapted from Ruth Reichl’s My Kitchen Year. 

Crust

• 1 and 1/2 sticks butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of sea salt
• 2 tablespoons coco powder
• 2 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1. Prepare mini tart pans by greasing with spray oil or butter and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375*. 
2. Cream together the butter and sugar using either an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla and blend in throughly using the mixer.  Add the pinch of sea salt, coco powder and flour about 1/2 cup at a time and mix, making sure all the flour is well incorporated before adding the next half cup. When all the flour has been incorporated, use your hands to shape the dough into a  disk. Wrap the disk in wax paper and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into six equal parts. Take one piece of the divided dough. Use your hands to roll it into a ball. Place it in the center of one of the mini tart pans. Gently using a tart tamper or your fingers press the dough into the pan so that the dough fills the bottom and sides and a recess is formed in the center. Use a fork to gently poke several holes in the bottom of the crust, without piercing all the way through. Set on a baking tray. Repeat with the other three or five pieces of dough.
4. Bake the crust for 20-25 minutes, the crust will be fully cooked through but not hard. Cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the crusts from the pans and set on a wire rack or plate. Cool the crusts completely before filling. 

Filling/Topping

• 8 oz good dark chocolate
• 1 cup heavy cream
• about 8oz of strawberries, sliced thin
• whipped cream for serving

1. Break the chocolate into small pieces  for easier melting. Place in a small saucepan and add the cream. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is fully melted and mixed in. After the chocolate is fully melted  turn down the heat to low. Allow the mixture to sit on low heat, still stirring frequently, until slightly thickened. Remove the ganache from the heat and allow it to cool slightly but not harden. 
2. Pour the slightly cooled ganache into the cooled tart crusts. Allow the ganache to cool completely before topping with strawberries.
3. Top the cooled tarts with strawberries right before serving. (If the tarts are topped with the strawberries too far ahead the moisture from the berried will make the ganache watery.) Top completed tarts with fresh whipped cream to serve.