Chocolate Peanut Tarts

Submitted by Lorraine of AZ

"These delectable tarts combine two favorite ingredients: chocolate and peanut butter, both in their purest form. They are so-o yummy! The recipe comes from Lora Brody's irresistibly named book: "Growing Up on the Chocolate Diet." For best results use the best chocolate you can find. Note that chilling time is included in passive work time."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 15mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Yields: 20 tarts

ingredients

• Pastry Shells

• 2 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 10 tablespoons butter, very cold (can be frozen)
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 2 egg yolks

• Filling

• 2 1⁄4 cups chunky peanut butter (Super-chunk Skippy brand suggested)

• Glaze

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into very small pieces

directions

1. To make the Pastry, blend flour, salt, sugar and butter in a food processor, using the metal blade, until the butter is in pieces the size of peas.
2. Add the eggs and the extra yolks and process briefly until the mixture is uniform but does not form a ball.
3. Place the crumbly dough on a board and knead, using he heel of your hand, until the ingredients are incorporated. A second kneading may be necessaary to make sure the dough forms into a ball easily.
4. Divide the dough into two balls, using a metal scraper to push and scrape. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for about an hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using butter or vegetable shortening, grease 20 shallow 3-inch tart pans. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut circles with a 3-1/2 inch round cutter. Place the circles of dough in the tart pans and press the dough down with your fingers, creating a tiny ridge all the way around the edge of the pan. Prick the bottoms with a fork and place the shells on a heavy duty baking sheet. Refrigerate for half an hour.
6. (If you don't have 20 tart pans, bake a few at a time -- you can roll out the dough, cut the circles and chill them, and then pop the into the pans after the previous batch is baked.).
7. Bake the shells in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are brown. Remove from the pans and cool on a rack.
8. When the shells are completely cooled, spread a tablespoon of peanut butter in the bottom of each one.
9. To make the chocolate glaze, scald the cream in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Stir very gently with a rubber scraper. When the mixture is combined, strain it through a fine sieve to get rid of any lumps. Pour the glaze over the shells up to the very edge. Let them sit in a cool pace until the glaze becomes firm.