Amaretto Chocolate Cream Tarts Recipes

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon almond extract with electric mixer on medium speed 1 minute. Gradually add flour, beating 1 to 2 minutes just until blended. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour until thoroughly chilled.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Divide pastry into 48 pieces. Gently press pastry onto bottom and side of 48 ungreased mini muffin cups.
• Place almonds in food processor or blender; cover and process until almonds are finely ground. In medium bowl, mix almonds and remaining filling ingredients with spoon. Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons filling into each tart crust. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and centers spring back when touched lightly. Cool 5 minutes; gently remove tarts from pan to wire rack. Cool 30 minutes.
• In chilled small bowl, beat 1/2 cup whipping cream and 1 tablespoon sugar with on high speed until soft peaks form.
• Place 1 teaspoon whipped cream and 1 raspberry on each tart.

Steps:

• Beat the egg whites until peaks form.
• Beat in 1/4 cup sugar until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
• Mix yolks, milk, gelatin, the remaining sugar, and salt.
• Combine over low heat with the chopped chocolate.
• Heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has combined, smoothed, and thickened.
• Remove from heat and add vanilla and amaretto.
• Whip the cream.
• Pour the chocolate mixture over the egg whites, folding to combine.
• Cool mixture; when cooled, fold in the whipped cream.
• Pour into the crust and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Steps:

• Amaretto Cream:.
• Whisk yolks and sugar in bowl to blend. Pour cream into heavy medium saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into cream; add bean. Bring to boil. Gradually whisk hot cream into yolk mixture. Return to saucepan; stir over low heat until mixture thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 4 minutes; do not boil. Remove from heat; stir in amaretto. Transfer to bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of cream to prevent skin from forming. Chill until cold. (Can be made 4 days ahead. Keep chilled.) Remove vanilla bean.
• Tart:.
• Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add apricots and 1/4 cup sugar. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Cook until apricots are tender, fall apart and form thick puree, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes for canned apricots and 30 minutes for fresh. Cool. Remove vanilla bean. Sweeten mixture with more sugar, if desired.
• Preheat oven to 425°F Roll out pastry on floured surface to 12x16-inch rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise, forming two 6x16-inch rectangles. Place 1 rectangle in center of baking sheet. Spread apricots evenly over pastry, leaving 3/4-inch bortder on all sides. Brush border with egg glaze. Place second rectangle atop filling. Press edges firmly to seal. Brush with glaze. To form rim, fold up 1/2 inch of edge all around; press to seal. Brush top with glaze; sprinkle with sugar. Using small sharp knife, make diagonal cuts 2 inches apart across tart, cutting just to filling. Bake until golden about 25 minutes. Cool. Serve with amaretto cream.

Steps:

• Make the crust:
• In a bowl stir together with a fork the wafer crumbs, the almonds, and the butter until the mixture is combined well, pat the mixture onto the bottom and side of an oiled 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable rim, and freeze the crust for 30 minutes, or until it is firm.
• Make the filling:
• In a food processor blend the almonds, scraping down the sides occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until they form a nut butter, and with the motor running add the Amaretto. Add the ice cream and the chocolate and pulse the motor 6 to 8 times, or until the filling is smooth and combine well.
• Transfer the filling to the crust, spreading it evenly. Garnish the top of the tart with the almonds and the chocolate and freeze the tart, uncovered, for 1 hour. Cover the tart with plastic wrap and freeze it overnight.

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Liberally butter the tart pan.
• For the crust: Combine the all-purpose flour, almond flour, almonds, cocoa powder and sugar in a food processor. Process until the almonds are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms a coarse meal. With the processor running, gradually add 2 tablespoons of iced water until the mixture forms a ball, adding extra water, as needed, if the mixture is too dry. Form the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Roll out the dough into a 10-inch circle on a lightly floured work surface. Place the dough in the tart pan and trim any excess dough from the top of the pan. If the dough cracks, press scraps of dough into the cracks to seal. Prick the dough all over, using a fork, and bake for 15 minutes. Let the crust cool for 15 minutes.
• For the filling: Place the chocolate and butter in a small bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Beat the eggs, liqueur, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake until the filing has set and begins to crack slightly on top, 22 to 25 minutes. Allow the tart to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• For the apricot cream: Beat the cream at high speed until stiff peaks form, using a hand mixer. Add the jam and vanilla. Beat until the jam is incorporated into the cream.
• Remove the tart from the pan and cut into thin wedges. Serve with a dollop of apricot cream.