Tuesdays with Dorie BWJ: Chocolate Truffle Tartlets
February 21, 2012 at 12:02 am | Posted in BWJ, groups, pies & tarts, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 59 CommentsTags: baking, chocolate, dessert, tarts
It’s back to the sweets with this week’s Tuesdays with Dorie, which I am excited to be co-hosting along with Spike, Jaime and Jessica. We’re doing David Ogonowski’s Chocolate Truffle Tartlets, and they are every bit as intense as the name sounds. A chocolate crust is the vessel for a dark chocolate filling loaded with milk and white chocolate bits and pieces of crunchy cookie (I used amaretti, but biscotti are suggested, too). The filling isn’t a straightforward ganache, but a baked chocolate filling made with whipped egg yolks. The ribbony yolks give the filling some lift and structure. They don’t bake up exactly cakey or moussey, but kind of somewhere in between. Although the recipe says they are best enjoyed day of, I thought the tartlets were fantastic eaten chilled the next day, when they were like candy bars.
These tartlets may be small, but they pack a chocolate punch. A tartlet may be uaually meant for one, but I think these are so rich that they are made for sharing. A couple of notes about my personal experience here– I used a 60% chocolate in my filling base…I thought it was a tad too sweet when combined with the extra chocolate and cookie bits. Next time I’d go with a 70-something% for a bit more balance. Also, while the chocolate tart dough in this recipe is almost exactly the same as the one in BFMHTY, that one (BFMHTY) uses powdered sugar instead of granulated, and I think it may be a bit easier to work with.
For the recipe, you should see Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan, but I also have it below. My co-hosts Spike, Jaime and Jessica will have it as well. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the TWD Blogroll.
Chocolate Truffle Tartlets
recipe by David Ogonowski in Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan
Steph’s Notes: You can watch the PBS episode of David and Julia making this recipe by viewing these links: Part 1 & Part 2. I added a pinch of salt to my tart filling.
for the chocolate dough
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick (4 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp ice waterfor the truffle filling
5 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup sugar
2 oz white chocolate, cut into small dice
2 oz milk chocolate, cut into small dice
4 biscotti, homemade or store-bought (you can use amaretti di Saronno), chopped
–To make the dough in a food processor: Put the metal blade in the processor and add the flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt. Pulse just to blend. Add the butter and pulse 8 to 10 times, until the pieces are about the size of small peas. With the machine running, add the yolk and ice water and pulse just until crumbly – don’t overwork it. Turn it out onto the work surface and, working with small portions, smear the dough across the surface with the heel of your hand. Gather the dough together and shape it into a rough square. Pat it down to compress it slightly, and wrap it in plastic. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes. The dough will hold in the refrigerator for 3 days, or it can be wrapped airtight and frozen for a month. Thaw the dough, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator before rolling it out.
–To make the dough by hand: Put the flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt on a smooth work surface, preferably a cool surface such as marble. Toss the ingredients together lightly with your fingertips, then scatter the butter pieces across the dry ingredients. Use your fingertips to work the butter into the flour mixture until it forms pieces the size of small peas. Then use a combination of techniques to work the butter further into the flour: Break it up with your fingertips, rub it lightly between your palms, and chop it with the flat edge of a plastic or metal dough scraper. Gather the mixture into a mound, make a volcano-like well in the center, and pour in the yolk and ice water. Use your fingers to break up the yolk and start moistening the dry ingredients. Then, just as you did with the flour and butter, toss the ingredients with your fingers and use the dough scraper to chop and blend it. The dough will be crumbly and not really cohesive. Bring it together by smearing small portions of it across the work surface with the heel of your hand. Gather into a square and chill as directed above.
-Line a jelly-roll pan with parchment paper and keep at hand. Remove the bottoms from six 4 ½-inch fluted tartlet pans (or use pans with permanent bottoms and just plan to pop the tartlet out once they’re filled, baked, and cooled); spray the pans with vegetable oil or brush with melted butter.
-Cut the dough into 6 even pieces. Working with one piece at a time, shape the dough into a rough circle, then tamp it down with a rolling pin. Flour the work surface and the top of the dough and roll it into a circle about 1/8 to ¼- inch thick. As you roll, lift the dough with the help of a dough scraper to keep it from sticking. If the dough breaks (as it sometimes does), press it back together and keep going-it will be fine once it’s baked. Fit the dough into a tartlet ring, pressing it into the fluted edges and cutting the top level with the edges of the pan. Again, patch as you go. Use a pastry brush to dust off any excess flour and place the lined tartlet ring on the prepared baking pan.
-When all of the shells are rolled out and formed, chill them for at least 20 minutes.
-Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Prick the bottoms of the crusts all over with the tines of a fork and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until the crusts are dry, blistery, and firm. Transfer the baking pan to a rack so that the crusts can cool while you make the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
-Bring an inch of water to the simmer in a saucepan. Put the butter and bittersweet chocolate in a large metal bowl and place the bowl over the saucepan-don’t let the metal bowl touch the water. Allow the chocolate and butter to melt slowly, stirring from time to time, as you work on the rest of the filling. Remove the chocolate from the heat when it is melted and allow it to cool until it is just slightly warmer than room temperature.
-Put the yolks and vanilla extract in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl. Using the whisk or a hand-held mixer, start beating the yolks at medium speed and them, when they are broken up, reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat the yolks and sugar until the yolks thicken and form a slowly dissolving ribbon when the beater is lifted.
-Spoon about one third of the yolks onto the cooled chocolate mixture and fold them in with a rubber spatula. Don’t worry about being too thorough. Pour the chocolate into the beaten yolks and gently fold the two mixtures together until they are almost completely blended. Add the cubed chocolates and biscotti, folding to incorporate the chunky pieces.
– Using an ice cream scoop or ¼ cup measure, divide the filling evenly among the cooled shells. Smooth the filling with a small offset spatula, working it into the nooks and crannies as you circle the tops of the tarts. Bake the tarts for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops look dry and the filling is just set. Remove to a rack to cool for about 20 minutes before serving.
-Best the day they’re made, these are still terrific after they’ve been refrigerated—they lose their textual finesse, but the taste is still very much there. For longer keeping, wrap the tartlets airtight and freeze them for up to a month. Thaw, still wrapped, at room temperature.
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a whisk and a spoon 
Once I get over the chocolate and sugar coma that was my last baking spree (see: http://heikeherrling.com/2012/02/19/chocolate-cherry-meringue-pudding-cake/), I’ll have to give these a go. They look positively decadent (and full of chocolate anti-oxidants)! Thanks for a great looking recipe! Heike
Comment by Heike Herrling— February 21, 2012 #
Your tartlet is gorgeous! Thanks for hosting!
Comment by Wendy— February 21, 2012 #
Love how your tartlets turned out!
Comment by Truc— February 21, 2012 #
Fabulous photo…your tart is perfect. Thanks for hosting; appreciate your write–up
Comment by Krissy— February 21, 2012 #
Your tartlets look great! I love what you did with the chocolate smeared on the plate, very attractive presentation 🙂
Comment by Jen— February 21, 2012 #
ooh, such a pretty presentation for the little tartlet! I agree with your description of the intensity of this dessert. I used darker chocolate than yours, in the filling and in the chocolate cubes, and it was still sweet and rich and a little went a very long way. Thanks for hosting; very fun to see the new group taking shape.
Comment by nancy/n.o.e.— February 21, 2012 #
Beautiful presentation Steph! And I agree..these tarts were really delicious eaten chilled in fact, I prefer them this way. Did you use individual cheesecake molds to create this tart shape?
Comment by janwa— February 21, 2012 #
Thanks! I have a stash of ring molds (tart rings) that I bought at a restaurant supply shop. They are bottomless and have straight sides.
Comment by steph (whisk/spoon)— February 21, 2012 #
Your presentation is ridiculously beautiful!
Comment by Amanda— February 21, 2012 #
Very beautiful! I used the same tartlet forms and also served it with ice-cream, it was really good.
Comment by Sabine— February 21, 2012 #
Yours look so delicious!! Beautiful presentation as well.
Comment by Im At Home Baking— February 21, 2012 #
Thanks for hosting this! We loved these. Wonderful photo of yours. That segment on PBS really helped me to know what to do with these.
Comment by Peggy— February 21, 2012 #
We loved this one. Very delicious choice. Thanks!!
Comment by Pamela— February 21, 2012 #
gorgeous!
Comment by Piebird— February 21, 2012 #
Your tart looks GORGEOUS!
Comment by Cristine— February 21, 2012 #
Gorgeous plating! I added a bit of salt to the filling, too; I think most chocolate things benefit from it. I also used 60% chocolate, since I figured this book was written before the higher percentage chocolates were widely available. But I agree, it was on the sweet side, and I’m interested to see what it would be like with 70%.
Comment by Di— February 21, 2012 #
Yours look beautiful!! I like the shape.
Comment by jane— February 21, 2012 #
Omgosh, the presentation of your tartlets is just gorgeous! This is my first TWD post and I’m LOVING reading about everyone’s experiences. Thanks for hosting, this is a fantastic recipe!!
Comment by Jess Wakasugi {Life's Simple Measures}— February 21, 2012 #
Your tart is beautiful! 🙂 Thanks for hosting this week!
Comment by Karen— February 21, 2012 #
Absolutely gorgeous presentation!
It’s good to know that the tart recipe in BWJ uses granulated sugar…I’ve often come close to using it when I’m low on confecioners, but I worried about the texture.
Comment by Valerie— February 21, 2012 #
Love the straight sides on your tartlet — gorgeous!
Comment by AmyA— February 21, 2012 #
Love the photos! Your staging is just beautiful!
Comment by tierneymarie— February 21, 2012 #
Your tart is so beautiful! Thank you for hosting.
Comment by Carrie— February 21, 2012 #
I agree for the ‘leftover’ tarts. I froze and then thawed a few for a dinner party this weekend and while I expected them to be lackluster, they were just as good as the day they were baked!
Comment by Stephanie B— February 21, 2012 #
I love that you used ring molds – I think it is a much more elegant presentation. Very, very lovely. Thanks for hosting!
Comment by flournbutter— February 21, 2012 #
I like the shape of your tartlet. It is so pretty! Yes, I agree that even the tartlets are meant for sharing because they are so rich, or at least you need to save the other half for later. I have made Dorie’s tart dough and it is a good one!
Comment by Elaine— February 21, 2012 #
The tartlet looks fantastic and I love the picture as well!!! You should give me some tips, I really need to improve on that!!!
Comment by mireia— February 21, 2012 #
What a gorgous presentation; I was just glad my came out 🙂
Comment by Heather— February 21, 2012 #
I adore your tarts! And I agree, these were definitely made for sharing!
Comment by Heather— February 21, 2012 #
Steph—I’m losing my mind…Did I already comment on your photo and plating????If not, I love it. If I did, I second that. See you soon?
Comment by Lauren— February 21, 2012 #
Great presentation! Did you make your own ice cream, too? Looks wonderful.
Comment by Nichole @ Tasty Alchemy— February 21, 2012 #
No–it’s Breyers! Haha!
Comment by steph (whisk/spoon)— February 21, 2012 #
I love you tart – the straight sides and the garnish are beautiful. Nice job hosting!
Comment by Lynn— February 21, 2012 #
Oh, that looks so delicious! What a lovely little tartlet! I love all the inspiration I’m finding through TWD. Thanks for sharing.
Comment by Amy— February 21, 2012 #
Thank you for hosting this month. Stunning presentation!
Comment by Cher— February 21, 2012 #
Your tartlet is so gorgeous! I used 60% and thought it was too sweet too, but my husband loves super-sweet things, so it was perfect for him.
Comment by Jill— February 21, 2012 #
Beautifully presented! Thanks for hosting!
~ Carmen
http://bakingismyzen.wordpress.com
Comment by Baking is my Zen— February 21, 2012 #
Your site is stunning!
Comment by Carolina— February 21, 2012 #
Stunning plating…your tart looks perfect!!! Thanks for hosting!
Comment by Liz— February 21, 2012 #
This was delicious! Love love love the photo.
Comment by julessomeone— February 21, 2012 #
Lovely!
Comment by sweetbum10— February 22, 2012 #
Wait…this is legitimately stunning (for lack of a more original word). Bravo!
Comment by Casey— February 22, 2012 #
Lovely plating! As a last minute change, I decided to make the tart dough with powdered instead of granulated sugar. Glad I did, found it super easy and tasty. Thanks for hosting!
Comment by Gretchen Noelle— February 22, 2012 #
Your tart looks perfect! Thanks for picking such an elegant & delicious recipe! It was so easy & produced such a great result!
Comment by Susan— February 22, 2012 #
Yours are absolutely beautiful. My tart shells shrunk a bit in the pre-bake, and I had enough dough and filling for more than six tartlettes, so my shells runneth over a bit. But it was a lot of fun to do — thanks for hosting!
Comment by Dolores— February 22, 2012 #
I love the artistic touch to your picture! Thanks for hosting this recipe 🙂
Comment by isthisakeeper— February 22, 2012 #
Gorgeous photo! And I agree, I liked it better the next day! Cheers!
Comment by Baking with Cori— February 22, 2012 #
When I first read the recipe I thought it sounded complicated. While finishing up I realized it was easier than I’d expected. Your tart looks deeper than mine, but yum they were decadent ~ Thanks for hosting, love your finished tart photo composition. Check out my blog if you get a chance…
Comment by bygore— February 22, 2012 #
Your tartlet looks gorgeous. Love the straight sides on the tart shell. Could you tell us what type of pan or mold you used? Thanks for hosting.
Comment by tsimmisthyme— February 23, 2012 #
I used bottomless tart rings. They are made by Gobel, and you can find them online and in some professional restaurant supply shops.
Comment by steph (whisk/spoon)— February 23, 2012 #
Good heavens, is that a quenelle? You make these look even more exquisite than they are. 🙂
Comment by Rebecca— February 23, 2012 #
Thanks for hosting. Beautiful presentation! Fun to see the different interpretations of the recipe
Comment by Cheri— February 23, 2012 #
Your tart looks professional!
Comment by Lola— February 23, 2012 #
I cant imagine eating a whole tartlet at once, so rich! Def need to share!
Comment by spike— February 23, 2012 #
Yes, these were very chocolatey and rich, and I had to eat mine small bites at a time!
Comment by Shortbread— February 24, 2012 #
A beautiful tart – the smear of chocolate on the plate makes it a work of art.
Comment by Cakelaw— February 24, 2012 #
Wow it’s beautiful! Thanks for hosting!
Comment by redheadcuisine— February 26, 2012 #
Best-looking tart by far! Great job hosting – Thanks!
Comment by lauren— February 27, 2012 #
Your tart is just perfection. That little garnish-swoop of chocolate takes it over the top! Thanks for hosting/baking along with me this week.
Comment by Jessica @ cookbookhabit— February 28, 2012 #