Directions

Pastry Cream

Add the milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar, corn starch, flour and salt to a sauce pan and place on stove top burner. 

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Add the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the sugar to a bowl and mix over medium speed for 30-45 seconds. Whisk the milk mixture and turn the heat onto medium temperature. Whisk continuously until it starts to steam. Temper in about one cup of the steamy milk, into the eggs/sugar using a wire whisk, then gradually temper the hot egg mixture into the sauce pan. Whisk vigorously and continuously until the mixture thickens and just starts to boil. Reduce heat to low and continue whisking for 1 minute. Remove from heat, whisk in the vanilla and then all of the cold butter to cool it down quickly. Press pastry cream through a sieve if needed. Pour/scrape the pastry cream into a a large container and press a piece of plastic wrap onto the top of the pastry cream to seal. Chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight. 

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Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry

Place a small bowl on the food scale and tare the scale (0 weight). Add the egg yolk and enough ice water to equal 2 ounces total weight. Whisk with a fork and place in refrigerator until ready to use. 

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Add the flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar and salt to a food processor and pulse to mix evenly. Add the cubed butter and pulse 3-4 times. Add the egg/water mixture while pulsing and mix until everything just comes together. Remove and press into a flat sphere. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate 1 hour or longer. 

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Lightly flour your work surface and the top of dough and roll out to about 1/8 inch thickness. If dough is too hard, let sit at room temperature to soften some. Cut out rounds, line the tart pans and trim off by running your rolling pan over the tops. Place in the refrigerator and let chill 1 hour or longer. 

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Preheat oven to 400F.

Dock the tart crusts well, using a fork and then place on a baking sheet. Place in the center of oven and bake 12 minutes. Remove and let cool completely.  

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Melt the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips in microwave for 1 1/2 -2 minutes and stir. Brush a thin layer of chocolate in the bottoms and sides of each tart shell to prevent from becoming soggy after filling.

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Raspberry Sauce

Add all of the ingredients to a 3 1/2 to 4 quart sauce pan. Pan must be 3 1/2-4 quarts or sauce will boil over. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook 4-5 minutes, until raspberries have released their juices. Pour/press through a sieve into a metal bowl, wipe out sauce pan and add liquid back. Place thermometer in pan and cook over high temperature until it reaches 220F. Remove from heat and let cool. 

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Fill each tart shell with the pastry cream using a pastry bag or spoon, leaving about 1/8 inch room for the sauce. Whisk the raspberry sauce, spoon onto the center of pastry cream and spread out using a small icing spatula. Slice the fresh raspberries in half (to resemble hearts) and arrange around the border of tart. Sprinkle some of the crushed almonds into the centers of tarts and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Makes 8 tarts.

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