White Chocolate And Passion Fruit Tarts

White Chocolate And Passion Fruit Tarts

Topping these tarts with a piece of gold leaf turns them into an elegant holiday treat. If you don't have enough molds, bake the tart shells in batches and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Ingredients:

2 cups (500 mL) flour

Pinch salt

½ cup plus 3 tbsp (125 mL plus 45 mL) cold, unsalted butter, cubed

1 egg

1/3 cup (75 mL) sugar

8 oz (250 g) white chocolate, finely chopped

2/3 cup (150 mL) passion fruit juice

1/3 cup (75 mL) whipping cream

Edible gold leaf

Directions:

Place the flour and salt in a food processor, pulse to mix. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.

Whisk the egg and sugar until well mixed, and then add to flour and butter mixture. Pulse until mixture just starts to come together. Tip the mixture onto a floured surface and form into a disc and flatten. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and cut to line small tart moulds. Refrigerate the pastry-lined moulds (16 to 20) for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).

Bake the tarts for 15 minutes or until browned and cooked. Remove from the oven and let cool. Set the tart shells aside

Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Place the passion fruit juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil until the juice is reduced by half, about 5 minutes, then pour over the chocolate. 

In another saucepan bring the cream to a simmer. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and juice. Using a whisk, stir until all the chocolate is melted. Refrigerate the mixture until it is thick and cold.

Using electric beaters, whisk the chocolate mixture until it resembles whipped cream. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and fill the cooled baked tart shells.

Top with a piece of gold leaf.

TIP:  To remove seeds from the pulp and juice, place in a blender or preferably a Vita-Mix on the lowest settings and allow it to whirl.  The seeds separate from the pulp/juice and are at the bottom of the container.  Easy Peasy!

Spinach Souffle And Prosciutto Tarts

Spinach Souffle And Proscuito Tarts   

Ingredients:

Pastry:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, diced 
3 oz. cream cheese, diced
1 cup flour

Filling:
1 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped prosciutto
1 pkg. frozen spinach soufflé, slightly thawed

Topping:
1/2 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. minced roasted red pepper

Makes 24.

Directions:
1. For pastry, place butter, cream cheese, and flour in food processor. Pulse 6 to 8 times to mix together. Turn on machine and run until dough forms a ball. Dough can be refrigerated or frozen at this point.

2. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick spray. Divide dough into 24 pieces and drop one into each muffin cup. Press into cup to cover bottom and sides.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and prosciutto and sauté for 1 minute or until softened. Stir into spinach soufflé. Spoon soufflé mixture into pastry lined cups and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until filling is puffed and set and pastry is lightly brown around edges. Remove tarts from pans and cool on a rack.

4. Meanwhile, to make sauce, stir together sour cream, garlic and roasted pepper. Chill to blend flavors while tarts cook. Top each cooled tart with a bit of the sauce and serve.