Chocolate Raspberry Tarts

Ms. Rosenau, you look exhausted, observed one of my students. And I felt it, too. My shoulders were tense, my brain was in overdrive, and the last night of good sleep was a far away memory. As with most things, there is only so much energy to be spent before nature intervenes. I spent most of the last week ill on the couch, with a box of tissues and a blanket, working my way through the Netflix queue.

Sometimes life likes to give reminders of lessons I should have learned long ago. Slow down, friends, slow down.

These Chocolate Raspberry Tarts have been in the back of my mind for months. I ordered a new set of tart pans back in July, which were backordered until October. I finally gave them a try last weekend. Luckily, this seems just the season for these tarts, with Valentine's Day coming up quickly. 

Chocolate and raspberries is a vibrant combination, both in sight and taste. The sweetness of the chocolate balances the tart berries and comes together in a rich bite. Share these with someone you love, whether it be a significant other, good friend, or yourself.

Chocolate Raspberry Tarts are dark and intense, with a pop of fresh berries to lighten the mood. The dough is made from a chocolate pastry crust, easy to roll out and manage while forming the base. The filling is a chocolate raspberry truffle filling, made with the juice of raspberries and high-quality chocolate bar. The tarts keep for a few days (add fresh raspberries before serving), but I imagine they would disappear before then.

One Year Ago:  Honey Oat Bread and Banana Cacao Nib Buckwheat Muffins
Two Years Ago: Bruleed Grapefruit, Bacon & Chive Beer Bread, and Pomegranate White Wine Panna Cotta
Three Years Ago: Cheddar Dill Biscuits, Campfire S'mores Brownies, and BBQ Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
Four Years Ago:Zuppa Toscana, Quick Chocolate Cake, and Chocolate Frosted Yellow Cake

Chocolate Raspberry Tarts

Yields 6 small tarts

Chocolate Tart Dough
8 tablespoons (113 grams) butter, cubed
3/4 cup (95 grams) powdered sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups (205 grams) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (30 grams) cocoa powder

In a food processor, place the butter and powdered sugar. Process until smooth. Add the egg, vanilla, and salt and continue processing until uniform, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the flour and cocoa powder, processing until the dough comes together and begins to gather in the bowl. A stand mixer can also be used if a food processor is unavailable.

Remove dough and shape into a cylinder. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). 

Unwrap dough and slice cylinder into 6 even pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each slice into a circle 2-inches larger than the tart pan. Gently place dough into pan, pressing it along the edges. If necessary, additional dough can be used to cover up cracks or tears. Using a rolling pin, roll it along the top of the pan to cut off excess dough. Use fingers to form a clean edge. Puncture a couple dozen holes into the bottom of the tart using a fork; this will prevent the dough from rising.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they are dry in appearance and touch. Cool to room temperature.

Chocolate Raspberry Filling
2 1/2 cups (250 grams) fresh or frozen raspberries
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 ounces (170 grams) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (use a higher quality for best flavor)
Fresh raspberries, for garnish

In a large saucepan, place the raspberries and granulated sugar. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, reduce to low, and simmer to release juices. Using a spoon, press down on the berries to break them up and release additional juices. 

Place berries in a fine mesh strainer over a medium mixing bowl filled with finely chopped chocolate. Drain out all juices, pressing on the berries to release juices further. Discard solids. Stir the chocolate and raspberry juice mixture. If the berry juice was not warm enough to melt the chocolate until smooth, place in the microwave in 10 second increments, stirring well between each heating, until smooth.

Spoon chocolate filling into cooled tart shells and refrigerate until set. Top with fresh raspberries before serving.