Thursday, April 28, 2011

Chocolate cheesecake and strawberry tartlettes



I chose to include these kind of tartlettes in the same recipe in order to suggest a way of using common ingredients and a shortbread dough in two different ways. I also give a marmalade recipe which can be used to counterbalance the bitter chocolate and give a nice gloss.

      Shortbread tart shells
      400gr                                               flour
      4                                                     yolks, hard-boiled
      250gr                                               butter, room temperature
      175gr                                               powdered sugar
      70gr                                                hazelnut or almond flour
      as preferred                                    vanilla extract
      as needed                                       water

     Strawberry marmalade
     400gr                                               chopped strawberries
     280gr                                               granulated sugar
     1/2                                                  vanilla pod
      1/2                                                  lemon, juice
    
     Chocolate cheesecakes
     300gr                                               cream cheese, room temperature
     175gr                                               granulated sugar
     130gr                                               strained yogurt
     3                                                     small eggs, room temperature
     280gr                                               couverture and/or bitter chocolate
     50gr                                                 heavy cream
      4tsp                                                 cocoa

 

     
           
    For the shortbread, cream the butter with the paddle attachment, add the sugar and then beat in the yolks, pushed through a sieve. Stir in the vanilla and finally incorporate the flours without overmixing. If the dough is to too dry to come together, you may add some water. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour. Meanwhile prepare the marmalade by boiling strawberries with sugar and vanilla in a pan until the jam thickens and at the end add the lemon juice. Let the marmalade cool.
    Take half of the cold shortbread dough, divide it into 12 equal pieces and cover with each the inner of a 7,5cm tart or even muffin mold. As for the rest of the dough, make sure it is hard enough and grate it over a piece of parchment paper. Bake the formed shells and the crumbled dough in a preheated oven to 175C for 20min and let them cool.
                  
                 
  
     Grind the shredded shortbread in a food prossesor with the cocoa powder and optionally add some oil to moisten it. Press portions of the mixture on the bottom and sides of your 12 molds and prepare the filling. Melt 240gr of chocolate in a bain marie and in a separate bowl combine cream cheese with the yogurt and sugar. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, and with the mixer on medium speed pour in the melted chocolate beating until it's fully incorporated. If you prefer, put 1tsp of marmalade on the bottom of the shortbread shells, fill them with the chocolate mixture and bake at a preheated oven to 170C for about 20min. Finally make a ganache with the rest of the chocolate and cream, cover with it the cheesecakes and decorate with strawberries.

    
  
    Strawberry tartletes
    200gr                                                 cream cheese, room temperature
    80gr                                                  granulated sugar
    60ml                                                 strawberry puree
    200ml                                                heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
     70gr                                                  couvertoure
    1/3cup                                              chopped pistachios
    additional                                         strawberries for decorating



For the strawberry tartlettes, melt the 70gr of chocolate in a bain marie, cover with it the edges of the shells, sprinkle on some pistachios (this part should be better done formerly so that the chocolate has time to harden) and put some marmalade on the bottom (to prevent the tart dough from moistening, you may spread some chocolate on the bottom as well). To make the filling, boil the puree with sugar for a minute and after it cools, incorporate it in the previously softened cream cheese. Then fold in the whipped cream and fill the ready shells. Finally refrigerate until the mousse is set, garnish with fresh strawberries and brush with glaze from the marmalade.

2 comments:

  1. Both looks delicious! I would love to taste such a chocolate cheesecake!

    ReplyDelete
  2. your photography and food styling are just so wonderful! i just can't stop looking at your blog! i'll stop commenting though lol :)

    ReplyDelete