Explosions of Choclate Goodness

Ever since we got back from our weekend excision in Santa Clara, I have been craving little bite-size desserts. Bite-size desserts are like appetizers at the end of an amazing meal or event or gathering. I love appetizers – as in a smorgasbord of little morsels that dance in your mouth. I love bite-size desserts for the same reason.

At a recent family gathering, I brought desserts to share. It’s my recipe for French Silk Pie, with a few little changes. First, I added 2 egg yolks to the recipe. I had made waffles earlier, using only the egg whites. So I had the yolks just sitting in the fridge. Seemed a shame to waste them, and egg yolks would add to the richness of the silk, so what the heck. The second change was simple – tartlets instead of a big pie. With a pie, depending upon how you slice it, you could get 8 to 16 servings, With tartlets, you could get 48 little bites without much more effort than a pie.

I was amazed, and very please, as to how quickly these tartlets disappeared. Hubby said it was like scoops rich chocolate ice cream. Pops said they were addictive, you couldn’t just have one. Most everyone else just smiled and enjoyed. Yeah, these little tartlets are coming out again at Christmas for sure.

Oh, and before I forget, today is National Gummi Worm Day. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather have a French Silk Tartlet than a Gummi Worm.

French Silk Tartlets
Crust
1 box (2 disks) Pillsbury Pie Dough

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 48 mini-muffin tins, set aside.

Note: If you do not have two 24-cup tins, work with 1 disk at a time, once first batch is cooled, repeat for second batch.

Follow directions on the box to unroll disks. With a 3-inch fluted biscuit cutter, cut 24 rounds from each dough disk. Press rounds into the prepared muffin tins. Pierce the bottom with a fork to anchor. Bake in the heated oven for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove shells from oven, but do not remove from tin until completely cools to retain their shape. Once cooled, remove and set aside until ready to fill.

French Silk Filling
8 oz Semi-sweet Chocolate
2 Egg Yolks
4 Whole Eggs
2 cups Powdered Sugar, divided
1 cup Butter
1-1/2 cups Heavy Cream
1-1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
3 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Chop chocolate and place in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in 20-second intervals, stirring chocolate between intervals, until smooth. Set aside and allow chocolate to cool.

Bring water to a simmer in a double boiler or pan fitted with a heat-proof bowl on top. Make sure water does not touch the bowl. Remove top from water, set aside.

Separate 2 eggs, retaining the yolks. Discard whites or use for another purpose. Whisk the egg yolks into whole eggs in the bowl or top of double boiler. Add 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar. Place on top of the double boiler. Whisk constantly until thick, about 10 minutes. Take care that the heat does not cause the eggs to scramble. The need are warmed without “cooking”. Remove egg mixture from heat, allow to cool.

Pour milted chocolate into the egg mixture. Beat to blend. Cover and chill well in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Once the chocolate-egg mixture is cooled, beat 1 cup of butter until light and fluffily. Add cooled chocolate-egg mixture to the butter, mix well to combine. Set aside.

In a clean bowl, whip heavy cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form. Add remaining half-cup of powdered sugar, beat again. Fold whipped cream into the chocolate-butter mixture. Add cocoa powder, cream well.

Cover and refrigerate for several hours or even overnight. When ready, use a small spoon, a candy or mini cupcake scoop to fill tartlet shells with rounded scoops of the chocolate silk. Chill until ready to serve.

To serve, arrange tartlets on a footed cake plate or other raised serving platter for a nice presentation. When served with other bite-size desserts, it’s a feast for the eyes as well as the mouth. Enjoy!

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Glory in His holy name
Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord!