Saturday, April 01, 2006

Amazing Peanut Butter Chocolate Tart

This is absolutely heaven. I really miss making and eating this most ethereal of all desserts. Don't be put off by the length of the recipe. It isn't hard to make. You can make the crust dough ahead (up to a week ahead). Just make sure to read the whole recipe before you plan on serving this because there are some refrigeration periods necessary.

I really miss having this tart. Please make it and invited me over, okay?

Sweet Peanut Butter cookie Tart Crust (recipe below)

PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE

7 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter (preferably Smooth Jif) at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup heavy cream

MILK CHOCOLATE GANACHE TOPPING

3 ounces milk chocolate
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream
18 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Make the peanut butter mousse. In a mixer bowl, preferably with a whisk beater, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar until uniform in color. On low speed, beat in the vanilla. Beat in 1/4 cup of the whipped cream just until incorporated. With a large rubber spatula, fold in the rest of the whipped cream until blended but still airy. Scrape the mousse into the prepared tart shell and smooth the surface so that it is level. Refrigerate while preparing the chocolate ganache.

2. Make the ganache topping. Process the chocolates together in a food processor until they are finely ground. In a heatproof glass measure, if using a microwave oven, or in a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. With the motor of the food processor running, immediately pour it through the feed tube onto the chocolate. Process until smooth, about 15 seconds, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla and pulse a few times to incorporate it. Pour the ganache into a liquid measure or bowl. Let cool to room temp.

3. Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mousse in a circular motion so that it does not land too heavily in any one spot and cause a depression. With a small metal spatula, start by spreading the ganache to the edges of the pastry, then spread it evenly to cover the entire surface. Make it look pretty.

4. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

5. Remove the tart from the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before serving. Unmold the tart and serve. YUM. YUM. YUM.


Peanut Butter Cookie Tart Crust


1/2 cup bleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/16 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar, superfine if you have it
4 tablespoons unsaltded butter, cold, cut into 1 inch cupbes
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (preferably Jif) at room temperature
1/2 large egg (beat before measuring...about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Grease and flour the tart pan if it is being used for the first time. Otherwise, it doesn't need it.

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD:

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a food processor with the metal blad, process the sugars for several minutes or until very fine. With the motor running, add the butter cubes. Add the peanut butter and process until smooth and creamy, about 10 seconds. With the motor running, add the egg and vanilla extract and process until incorporated. Scrape sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and pulse until incorporated.

ELECTRIC MIXER METHOD:

Soften the butter. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a mixing bowl, beat the sugars unti lwell mixed. Add butter and peanut butter and beat for several minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incoporated, scraping the sides of the bowl. At low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture just until incorporated.

FOR BOTH METHODS:

Scape the dough into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Press the dough evenly into the tart pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown. It will puff at first and then settle down toward the end of baking. Cool on wire rack.

You can store the unbaked dough for up to a week in the refrigerator.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This is awesome!!! My husband's #1 requested dessert. It's so easy to make. My children (2 & 5) enjoy making the ganache by themselves. I use a 9" tart pan for one large tart or make two using 7 1/2" tart pan and 4 1/2" tart pan. It was a hit at a recent Hanukkah dinner party. Make ahead and relax.