Chocolate Mint Strawberry Tart

Unbelievably easy, this tart is one of my most often baked desserts, since it combines pastry, chocolate, and strawberries—an all-time favorite combination. It looks bakery-perfect and tastes homemade-terrific. Look for small strawberries, especially the increasingly available French fraises des bois, but most important is that the berries are of uniform size for the prettiest presentation.

One-half 15-ounce package refrigerated folded piecrusts
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons white crème de menthe
1 pint small strawberries (about 30 berries), hulled
2 tablespoons strawberry jelly
8 small sprigs fresh mint

1) Keeping one crust refrigerated for another use, unfold the other crust and ease it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Fold any crust that hangs over the side inward to reinforce the edge of the tart. Press firmly to form the rippled edges, then use a rolling pin or sharp knife to trim the pastry even with the top of the tart pan. Prick the bottom of the tart 4 or 5 times with the tines of a fork. Place the tart shell in the freezer for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.

2) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bake the tart shell, directly from the freezer, until it is golden and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

3) In a small bowl set over hot water or in a microwave oven, gently melt the chocolate. Stir in 1/3 cup of the cream and 1 tablespoon of the crème de menthe until the mixture is smooth. Spread the chocolate over the bottom of the tart shell. (Refrigerate the remaining 2/3 cup heavy cream.)

4) Arrange the berries in concentric circles, hulled side down, in the lukewarm chocolate. Refrigerate the tart until the chocolate is set, 15 to 20 minutes. In a small saucepan or microwave oven, melt the jelly with the remaining 1 tablespoon crème de menthe. Carefully brush the berries with the jelly, trying to avoid brushing the jelly on the crust or the chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 3 hours.

5) Shortly before serving, whip the reserved heavy cream to soft peaks.

6) To serve, cut the tart into wedges and serve each with a spoonful of softly whipped cream and garnished with a mint sprig.

Chocolate Mint Strawberry Tart Tips

Strawberries should be rinsed before they are hulled, since the cut from the hull allows the berries to soak up water.
Use strawberries within a day of purchase, since they have a rather short shelf life.
Choose berries that smell fragrant—the best indicator of good taste.
Chocolate Mint Strawberry Tart Variations
Use raspberries in place of the strawberries and brandy in place of the crème de menthe.
Use lemon juice-sprinkled sliced bananas in place of the strawberries, and brush with orange marmalade melted with rum. This fruit should be added no more than 1 hour before serving.
Use quartered apricots in place of the strawberries, and brush with the apricot jelly melted with brandy.

Buy the Book!

from:
Ready, Set, Dough!
Incredibly Easy and Delicious Ways to Use Store-Bought Doughs
by Melanie Barnard
Broadway Books
$17.95, Trade Paperback Original
$26.95 Canada
ISBN: 0-7679-1424-4
Recipe reprinted by permission.