Chocolate Ganache Tart

This time around, I tried Dorie’s Sweet Tart Dough recipe (from her book Baking: From My Home to Yours), which turned out to be the best tart dough I have ever tasted.

Chocolate Ganache Tart

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 stick plus 1 tbsp (9 tbsp) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 12 ounces (330 gr) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190C) degrees.
2. Pulse flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until it resembles a coarse meal.Stir in the yolk and pulse again until the dough forms clumps and curds. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and very lightly and sparingly, knead just to incorporate dry ingredients. Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Freeze crust at least 30 minutes before baking. Bake blind for 25 minutes, remove the weight and bake for another 10 minutes. Let cool.
3. Place chocolate in a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour hot cream, through a sieve, over chocolate. Stir until smooth and creamy in texture. Pour chocolate mixture into center of cooled tart shell (if chocolate is lumpy, pass through a sieve). Let stand until set, about 2 hours, or chill for 1 hour.

Brownie, Chocolate, Blondie...

Slightly fudgy without going over the top into sludgy, still holding their shape, filled with a rich chocolate flavour. Baked with nuts, or not, these are my nemisis . . . these are the ones I find myself waking up and thinking about at two o'clock in the morning...




*Fudge Walnut Brownies*
Makes 24 squares

I wish I had a pound for every time I have made brownies in my life and for every new brownie recipe I have tried! I’d be a rich woman! This is my old standard that I return to every time. Moist and delicious with full on chocolate flavour, these are everything a good brownie should be! You can leave the nuts out if you wish, or you can add chocolate chips instead. They then become double chocolate fudge brownies!

1 cup butter
1 cup plain flour
4 ounces good quality bitter chocolate
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 TBS vanilla essence (YES 1TBS)
Pinch salt
½ cup walnut halves, broken into pieces

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Grease and flour the bottom of an 8 inch square glass baking dish. Tap out any extra flour.

Melt the butter along with the chocolate over low heat in a large pot. Allow to cool, then stir in the sugar, eggs (one at a time) vanilla, flour and salt, mixing with a wooden spoon and being careful not to over mix, no more than 50 strokes!

Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out a little wet if you want fudgy brownies. Bake until it comes out cleaner if you want cake type brownies, about 40 to 45 minutes for the fudgy ones. Let cool a bit before cutting into squares.

AND, just because I can't do ANYTHING half way, here is my other favourite, one of the blondie versions, full of "caramel-like" fudgy goodness. In this case, Blondes definitely do have more fun!




*Butterscotch Blondies*
Makes 12

These bars are lovely and chewy and full of wonderful butterscotch flavour. I try to use the best milk chocolate possible and that is Green and Black’s organic (in my opinion). They small fantastic when baking and the taste, well, it’s out of this world! Bet you can’t eat just one, which also makes them very dangerous to have around!


140g butter, plus more to grease the pan
2 large eggs, at room temperature
Pinch salt
350g light muscovado sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla essence
250g self rising flour
100g milk chocolate, cut into big chunks
100g macadamia nuts or pecan nuts, coarsely chopped
Icing sugar to dust over the tops when done

Pre-heat the oven to 160*C/350*F. Butter a shallow pan, about 20 X 21 cm in size and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small bowl and set aside to cool. In the meantime chop up your chocolate.
Beat the eggs until frothy in another bowl. Add the melted butter along with the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Tip in the flour and mix only until combined. Stir in the chocolate and ¾ of the nuts. Try not to over mix the batter, you'll end up with tough brownies if you do.

Spread the batter into the prepared tin and scatter the remaining nuts on top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until done. Don’t overbake. You want them dry on the top with a slight resistance to the touch of a fingertip, but you also want them to be fudgy and moist.
Let cool, then cut into bars and dust with the icing sugar.

Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle Brownies

I used ½ bittersweet and ½ semi-sweet.


Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle Brownies
a Gourmet, December 2001 recipe

For hazelnut base
Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, loose skins rubbed off with a kitchen towel, and cooled
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ stick ( 1/4 cup) unsalted butter
6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
2 large whole eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom and sides of an 8-inch square metal baking pan, then dust with cocoa powder, knocking out excess.


Finely grind nuts in a food processor with flour, sugar, and salt. Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan, then remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, whisking until smooth. Stir in nut flour until just combined. Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until top is firm and dry and a tester inserted into center comes out with crumbs adhering, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, at least 2 hours.

For ganache
2 large egg yolks1 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped

Lightly beat yolks in a bowl. Bring cream with salt just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, then add half of it to yolks in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Whisk yolk mixture into remaining cream and cook over low heat, whisking, until slightly thickened and an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F (do not let boil).

Remove from heat and add chocolate, whisking until smooth. Pour ganache over hazelnut base in pan, smoothing top with offset spatula, and chill, covered, until firm, at least 5 hours. Cut into squares with a warmed thin knife, wiping off knife after each cut, and remove from pan while still cold. Serve truffles cold or at room temperature.

Gourmet’s notes: 1. Truffles can be chilled up to 1 week. 2. Truffles can be frozen in pan, covered tightly with foil, 1 month. 3. Makes about 80 truffles.

Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

Shockolate Cheesecake

• 1 x box (15.5 oz/440 g) low-fat brownie mix (such as Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies)
• 2 cups 1% cottage cheese
• 1 cup light sour cream (not fat-free)
• 1 x pkg (8 oz/250 g) light cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 ounces (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate squares, melted and cooled slightly (see Tip)
• 1 cup fat-free egg substitute or 4 whole eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• Melted chocolate for drizzling (optional)

Directions:

Shockolate Cheesecake

1. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Prepare brownies according to package directions, baking in springform pan instead of regular cake pan. Brownies should bake in 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Remove pan from oven and reset temperature to 325ºF. Set brownie crust aside to cool slightly while you prepare filling.
3. To make filling, whirl cottage cheese, sour cream and cream cheese in a blender until perfectly smooth. Scrape out mixture into a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, sift together sugar, cocoa and flour.
4. Gradually add sugar mixture to cream-cheese mixture and beat on medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add melted chocolate and beat again, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat just until eggs are incorporated into batter.
5. Before pouring batter over crust, lightly grease sides of pan. This will help prevent cheesecake from cracking as it cools. Pour batter over brownie crust and smooth top.
6. Place on middle oven rack and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Cake will be puffed up and center will jiggle slightly when pan is shaken.
7. Turn off oven, open oven door halfway, and leave cake in oven to cool for 1 hour. Remove from oven, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cake from sides, and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
8. To serve, remove sides of pan, slice thinly (it’s rich!), and serve with fresh raspberries and chocolate drizzle, if desired.

One Bowl Brownies
from Kraft Canada

4 squares Unsweetened Chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup toasted pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwavable bowl on high for 2 minutes, or until melted. Stir in sugar until well blended; mix in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour and nuts, if using.

Spread mixture in lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Do not overbake!


My notes:
Instead of using the springform pan, I used individual paper cups for each brownie base. I filled them 1/4 full and had a very large brownie base. I had so much left over brownie batter that I made two bite brownies mixed with M&M candies for the children, who aren't fond of cheesecake.
After filling 18 mini brownie bases with the cheesecake, I had enough batter left over to still make a full sized cheesecake. Since I had used the brownies somewhere else, I made a quick graham cracker crust for it - and let me tell you, you want the brownie base for this cheesecake! It makes a HUGE difference in the taste and texture of the entire recipe

Chocolate Brownie Mousse Cake

I did not fiddle with these recipes except to replace 2 tablespoons of milk in the mousse with an equal amount of the Kahlua that had been part of the original cheesecake recipe. I am a fan of Ms.Boyles, ( I also have Diner Desserts and Simply Sensational Desserts ,to which she contributed ) so I decided to follow her lead ( and I'm not the most confident of meddlers ). To sum up, what we have is a Kahlua laced bittersweet chocolate mousse on an espresso brownie base topped off with swirls of whipped cream and Vahlrona chocolate covered coffee beans. Nothing too fancy then.ESPRESSO BROWNIE MOUSSE CAKE

For the espresso brownie base:

• 115g dark chocolate, 60-70% cocoa solids
• 115g unsalted butter
• 1 tbls instant espresso powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 200g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 60g plain flour

For the bittersweet chocolate mousse:

• 450g dark chocolate, 60-70% cocoa solids (best quality please, the chocolate is the diva here so make sure she can perform)
• 140ml milk
• 20ml Kahlua
• 130g caster sugar
• 1 tsp instant espresso powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 600ml double cream

To finish:

• whipped cream
• chocolate covered coffee beans

1. To make the brownie base: Preheat the oven to 170 C. Lightly butter the base and sides of a 9 inch x 3 inch deep spring-form tin. Melt the chocolate and the butter in a bowl over a large pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the espresso powder, vanilla extract and salt. whisk in the sugar until combined. Whisk in the eggs one at a time also until combined. Lastly fold in the flour just until incorporated. Don't over mix.
2. Scrape into the tin and smooth the surface. Bake the brownie for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Place on a wire rack and let cool completely in the tin.
3. When the brownie is nearly cool get started on the mousse layer. Place the chocolate in a food processor and process until finely ground. Leave it in the processor.
4. Heat the milk, sugar, espresso powder and salt over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the milk comes to the boil. With the food processor running pour the hot milk carefully down the funnel and process until the chocolate has melted. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla and process until blended. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and leave to cool. (If you don't have a food processor chop the chocolate finely and put in a large bowl, heat the milk mixture as before and pour over the chocolate. Leave for a minute then stir until chocolate has melted. Stir in the vanilla and set aside until cool.
5. In another bowl whip the cream until soft peaks form. Using a rubber spatula gently fold in one-third of the cream into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the remaining cream until completely blended.
6. Scrape the mousse onto the brownie base and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Serves 10-12.

Vegan Brownie...

Having spent a lot of time with a bunch of vegans I decided it was time to explore the sordid world of eggless cusine... Very sordid... sordid... and tasty

VEGAN FUDGE BROWNIES

1/2 Package Medium Tofu
1/2 Cup Vegan Margarine
1/2 Cup Cocoa
1/2 Cup Granulated Fruit Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Unbleached All Purpose Flour
2 - 3 Tablespoons Broken Pecans
4 -5 Tablespoons Vegan Caramel

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Prepare a 9″x 9″ pan with a light misting of spray oil and line the bottom with a square of parchment paper.
In the bowl of a food processor, whip the tofu until smooth.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the margarine ad add the sugar. Stir in the cocoa and whisk until smooth.
Meanwhile, add the brown sugar, salt and vanilla to the tofu. Blend well.
Combine the cocoa mixture with the tofu and sugar until it is well incorporated.
Remove the blade from the food processor and fold in the flour.
Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared pan.
Sprinkle the top with the pecan pieces.
Bake for approximately 20 -25 minutes, until the the top appears set and shiny.
Drizzle over the caramel, and allow brownies to cool completely.

ARCTIC AVALANCHE BROWNIES

To construct these brownies you will need:
1 Package of semi-sweet chocolate chips, look for a sweetened pure chocolate.
Read the label to avoid all milk ingredients.
1 Pint Soy Good Vanilla (or Butterscotch Swirl)
2 Tablespoons Margarine

Once the Vegan Fudge Brownies have cooled completely, remove them from the pan and trim the edges by about 1/4″.
Let the ice cream sit for about 10 - 15 minutes to soften. Once you are able, place the entire contents in to the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix the ice cream on low to make it smooth but don’t allow it to melt.
Wash and reline the brownie pan with two sheets of parchment which will run up the sides, over hanging slightly on each edge.
Add more caramel, if desired.
Spoon the ice cream over the brownie and smooth to the edge with spatula.
Place the pan into the freezer to reset the ice cream. (About one hour.)
While you are waiting place a glass bowl over a simmering saucepan of water. Melt the margarine in the bowl then add half of the chocolate chips. Stir occasionally to smoothly melt, then add the remaining chips.
Fit cooling rack with a cookie sheet beneath it.
Once the ice cream has set, remove the brownie from the pan by pulling up from the parchment.
Run a chefs knife under hot water and quickly cut the brownies into approximately 2 1/2 ” x 4″ pieces.
Transfer the brownies to the cooling rack.
Using a ladle, quickly and evenly spoon the melted chocolate over the center of the ice cream/brownie square.
Return everything to the freezer until set and ready to serve.

Serves 6

Pancake Crepe Cake!

So I'm dreaming of Tuesday again...

DARKEST CHOCOLATE CREPE CAKE

The Crepes:

• 175g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 225g dark chocolate, (60-70% cocoa solids) finely chopped
• 210g plain flour
• 65g caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 600ml full fat milk, room temperature
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tbls vanilla extract

1. Bring 60 ml of water to a rolling boil in a small saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add butter, one piece at a time whisking to combine after each addition. remove from the heat; stir in the chocolate until completely melted. Set aside.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, eggs and vanilla together in a large jug. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and gradually whisk in the milk mixture drawing the flour in from the sides as you whisk. When you have a smooth mixture add the chocolate-butter mix again whisking until smooth as possible. Pour through a fine sieve into another container and cover tightly (with a lid if you have one to fit, or with cling film.) Discard any lumps and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.
3. To make the crepes: Lightly coat an 8 inch crepe pan (or whatever frying pan you have, it being non-stick will make your life a whole lot easier) with melted butter. Heat over a medium heat, remove briefly from the heat to swirl in 2-3 tbls of batter covering the bottom of the pan. What you want is a crepe that is thin enough not to taste rubbery while at the same time able to withstand a certain amount of handling. Reduce the heat slightly and return to the heat. Cook, turning once as best you can (your fingers have my sympathy) for 30 seconds-1 minute each side until cooked through in the centre.
4. Slide the crepe onto a plate and repeat the process until you run out of batter, layering with parchment paper between each crepe. Refrigerate until your ready to assemble the cake.

Hazelnut Filling:

• 165ml double cream
• 6 large egg whites
• 330g caster sugar
• 400g unsalted butter, cut into pieces, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 80ml Nutella (warm a little in the microwave to make it easier to measure)
• 1 tsp salt

1. Put cream into a bowl a medium bowl and beat at a medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Refrigerate for an hour or so.
2. Whisk the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water until sugar has dissolved and the mixture registers 160 C on a sugar thermometer. Remove from the heat and attach to the stand mixer with the whisk attachment and beat on a high speed until slightly cooled and soft (but not dry) peaks form, about 5 minutes.
3. Switch to the paddle attachment and at a medium-low speed, add the butter, several pieces at a time, mixing well after each addition (meringue will deflate slightly). Add vanilla, nutella and salt, mix well until mixture comes together, 3 to 5 minutes. Fold in chilled whipped cream with a rubber spatula. Use immediately.
4. Retrieve your crepes from the fridge and place on an 8 inch (or whatever size your crepes are) cardboard round (I cut a round to fit from a cereal box and used the plain side) on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Place the first crepe on the card and spread with about tbls of the filling. Top with another crepe. Continue layering with the filling until you have run out of crepes (or filling) or until your tower begins to lean alarmingly, ending with a crepe on top. Refrigerate until firm at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile make ganache.

Chocolate ganache glaze:

• 300ml double cream
• 1 tbls golden syrup
• 1 tsp salt
• 280g dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids), finely chopped (I substituted 80g Green & Blacks Espresso chocolate)

1. Bring cream, golden syrup and salt to a boil at a medium-high heat in a medium heavy-based saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, swirl pan to cover completely with cream. Leave to stand for about 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let cool completely.

Candied Hazelnuts:

• 9 hazelnuts
• 200g caster sugar

1. Thread each hazelnut onto tip of a long wooden skewer; set aside. Place a chopping board along the edge of a worktop; set a baking tray on the floor underneath.
2. Cook sugar and 60ml of water in a medium, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals forming. Let boil until syrup turns light amber, about 5 minutes; remove from heat. Let stand until slightly cooled.
3. Dip one skewered hazelnut into syrup, coating completely and letting excess caramel drip back into pan. When dripping caramel becomes a thin string secure end of skewer under chopping board, letting string drip over edge onto baking sheet. Repeat with remaining hazelnuts. Let stand until caramel has hardened, about 5 minutes. Break strings to about 4 inches. Carefully remove skewers. Or just attempt as I did to make spun sugar by taking spoonfuls of caramel and drizzling them quickly (but carefully) across the handle of a wooden spoon, gather up the strings with your hands (they cool quickly) to form a ball.

To Finish:

1. Spoon some glaze on top of the cake, spreading to the edge of the cake allowing it to drip over the sides. Using an offset spatula spread the glaze around the sides of the cake to cover completely. The edges of the crepes will defy any effort to smooth the sides of the cake but that is as it should be. Refrigerate until the glaze is firm and set. Garnish with candied hazelnuts or spun sugar.
2. When serving, remove the cake from the fridge and cut, while still cold, with a sharp knife warmed under hot running water. This should stop all your filling squeezing out when you slice into it. Then leave the slices to come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes so you get the full benefit of the flavour.

I think this would serve 10 generously and would stretch to 12.