While summer may be officially over, a fact that I have mixed emotions
over right now, there are still some beautiful summer berries hanging
around the stores, just waiting to be eaten or put into something
absolutely delicious.
 |
| photo credit: Summerberries via photopin (license) |
The first thing that came into my mind as I looked at the strawberries in my weekly grocery shop, was a chocolate tart, and straight away I knew I just had to make one. This is my first attempt ever at a chocolate ganache tart, and I must say, I did a good job. Pat on the back to me!
The combination of chocolate and strawberries is an absolute classic, yet it doesn't just need to be limited to strawberries covered in chocolate. In fact, why leave it at that when there are so many other ways to enjoy the delicious combination? The silkiness of the ganache, mixed with the sweetness of the strawberries, makes it a true melt in the mouth dessert. Add in a bite of tart from some raspberries to even out the richness from the ganache, and it truly is a perfect combination, not to mention a great way to use up those last summer berries.
I used a 2:1 ratio of chocolate to cream to give me a ganache that would set up nice and firm, but not be too hard to eat, and it has worked out perfectly, especially after leaving it in the fridge over night.
This is a completely no bake tart, which is great, but it does take a bit of setting time. So you do have to be patient, unless you want to be eating a drippy, gooey tart. The minimum wait time I would advise would be 2 hours, but this tart is definitely best when left in the fridge to set up properly over night.
I am insanely jealous of all you people in the northern hemisphere who are able to make this more often with summer coming up, but I'm sure I can wait patiently for my turn again next summer. I think over winter, I will try different combinations of this tart, and I will definitely post my creations.
Chocolate Ganache & Berry Tart
200g milk chocolate
200g dark chocolate (Or all dark chocolate if you would prefer)
200ml cream
1 packet chocolate cream cookies - I used Cameo Creams, Oreos are good too
100g butter - melted
Berries to top
The first thing you want to do is crush up the biscuits/cookies. You can do this in a food processor or in a bag, smashing them with a rolling pin.
When the biscuits are in a crumb, add the melted butter and mix it in.
Press the biscuit mixture into the base of a tart pan, pushing it up the sides. Use a flat bottomed glass to press it out evenly. Push any overhanging crumbs around the edges, back into the middle. Put this into the fridge to set while you make your ganache.
To make the ganache, chop the chocolate into small chunks and put in a bowl. Heat the cream until just about boiling in a saucepan, and then pour over the chocolate. Leave for five minutes and then mix together until thick and glossy. Leave to cool to room temperature.
Once the ganache has cooled down a bit, get the tart shell out of the fridge and pour the ganache into it slowly. Put it back into the fridge for 20 minutes to set.
Get your berries ready while it is setting. I cut my strawberries in half to make them go further.
When the ganache has set up a little, take the tart out of the fridge and start placing the berries on top. They will sink in a little bit, but not too much.
Put the tart back in the fridge and wait a minimum of 2 hours before serving - overnight/all day is best.
