Bon Appetit Desserts (85 page)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust until brown, piercing with fork if bubbles form, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.

FILLING
: Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan; remove from heat. Add both chocolates; whisk until smooth. Cool 30 minutes. Pour filling into crust. Sprinkle with peppermint candies. Chill until set, about 3 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

TOPPING
: Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in large bowl to stiff peaks. Spread 2 cups whipped cream over filling, mounding slightly in center. Spoon remaining whipped cream into 1 bottom corner of large resealable plastic bag. Twist bag at top and grasp top firmly. Using scissors, cut ¾ inch off filled corner of bag to form opening; turn bag so that 1 seam faces up. Pipe 2-inch-long ovals of whipped cream side by side around edge of tart. Pipe more ovals to form second ring inside first, then pipe ovals in center. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. Remove tart from pan; place on platter. Sprinkle top of tart with crushed peppermint candies and serve.

Sugarplum Tart with Semisweet Chocolate Glaze

This elegant double-crusted tart evokes the kind of classic Christmas captured in Clement Clarke Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” The tart is filled with caramel, walnuts, and dried fruit—which is what sugarplums are actually made of (there are no plums in them at all). The presentation of the tart with all the components is stunning, but the tart is also fantastic without the sugarplums.
10 servings

1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

10 ½ tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream, chilled

½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

¼ cup raisins

¼ cup golden raisins

¼ cup dried apricots, cut into ½-inch pieces

¼ cup dried pineapple, cut into ½-inch pieces

3 tablespoons brandy

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

¾ cup water

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces

Semisweet Chocolate Glaze (see recipe)

Sugarplums (see recipe)

CRUST
: Mix flour and sugar in large bowl. Add butter and cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix egg yolk with cream in small bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture and stir until dough comes together. Gather dough into 2 balls, 1 slightly larger than the other. Flatten into disks. Wrap separately in plastic and chill 30 minutes.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

FILLING
: Combine all ingredients in medium metal bowl. Let mixture soak at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.

Roll larger dough disk out on floured surface to 12-inch round. Roll dough up on rolling pin and transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim and finish dough edges. Roll second dough disk out to 10-inch round. Transfer to baking sheet. Chill tart shell and dough round 1 hour.

CARAMEL
: Cook sugar and ¾ cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Add cream and butter and whisk to combine (mixture will bubble vigorously). Continue cooking until candy thermometer registers 238°F. Pour caramel into medium metal bowl. Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Spread filling evenly in crust. Pour caramel over. Press dough round on top. Trim off excess. Pierce in several places with tip of small sharp knife.

Place tart on prepared sheet. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 35 minutes (some caramel may leak out). Cool on rack, about 6 hours.

Turn tart over onto rack. Set over rimmed baking sheet. Spoon some Semisweet Chocolate Glaze over sides of tart. Set aside ½ cup glaze. Pour remaining glaze over tart. Smooth top and sides of tart with spatula if necessary.

Line small baking sheet with waxed paper. Rewarm reserved ½ cup glaze in top of double boiler over simmering water until just lukewarm, stirring occasionally. Grasp 1 sugarplum between thumb and index finger; dip halfway into glaze. Remove from glaze and allow excess to drip back into pan. Place on prepared sheet, chocolate side up. Repeat with remaining sugarplums. Chill sugarplums until glaze is set, about 30 minutes.

Garnish top of tart with glazed sugarplums.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Cut into wedges. Serve at room temperature.

Semisweet Chocolate Glaze

Be sure to use the glaze after it has stood just long enough to cool but is still pourable. Try it on cakes and bar cookies, as well.
Makes about 1½ cups

½ cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

Bring cream and butter to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Let glaze stand until just cool to touch.

Sugarplums

These Christmas classics are made primarily of walnuts, dried apricots, raisins, coconut, and dates. A food processor makes mixing the ingredients quick and easy; a smidgen of brandy and a little sugar add a festive touch. You might also consider adding a pinch of holiday spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, or nutmeg. This recipe can be doubled, if desired.
Makes about twenty-five ½-inch balls

¼ cup walnuts

¼ cup dried apricots

2 tablespoons golden raisins

2 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut

2 tablespoons pitted dates

1 tablespoon brandy

¼ cup sugar

Using on/off turns, finely chop walnuts, apricots, raisins, coconut, and dates in processor (do not puree). Transfer to small bowl; mix in brandy. Form mixture into ½-inch balls by rolling teaspoonfuls between hands. Roll balls in sugar.

DO AHEAD
:
Sugarplums can be made 1 day ahead. Store at room temperature in airtight container.

Chocolate-Cognac Truffle Tartlets

In this decadent dessert, part of the slightly boozy chocolate truffle filling is spooned into the tartlet crusts. The remainder is turned into chocolate truffles for garnish. Any leftover truffles can be kept frozen for an instant special-occasion treat. Be sure to start this recipe one day ahead.
Makes 4 tartlets (4 to 8 servings)

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1¼ cups heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

3 tablespoons Cognac or other brandy

⅔ cup pecans, toasted, finely chopped

4 ½- by 5-inch parchment paper strips

Natural unsweetened cocoa powder

CRUST
: Mix flour, cocoa powder, and salt in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl until creamy. Add flour mixture and stir with fork until coarse meal forms. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Press 1 dough piece evenly over bottom and up sides of 4 ½-inch-diameter tartlet pan with removable bottom. Repeat with remaining 3 dough pieces. Freeze 20 minutes.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep frozen.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray four 7-inch foil squares with nonstick spray. Line crusts with foil, sprayed side down. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crusts until set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Continue baking until crusts feel dry, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to rack; cool completely.

FILLING AND TRUFFLES
: Combine cream and butter in medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until butter melts. Add chocolate; stir until melted. Whisk in Cognac. Cool filling 15 minutes.

Spoon enough filling into crusts to fill (about ½ cup for each); reserve remaining filling. Refrigerate tartlets and reserved filling overnight.

Line small baking sheet with foil. Form reserved filling into balls, using generous rounded ½ teaspoonful for each. Place on prepared sheet. Freeze 15 minutes. Roll each truffle in chopped pecans, coating completely. Freeze until truffles are firm, about 1 hour.

Let tartlets stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Place parchment paper strips in lattice pattern atop 1 tartlet. Sift cocoa over. Remove strips. Repeat with remaining tartlets. Garnish each with 3 truffles.