With Valentine’s Day just a week away, it is time to start planning for it. As all my meal planning starts with dessert, a sweet ending to this holiday is today’s offering! Because chocolate & strawberries are often associated with romance & Valentine’s Day, they are my key ingredients for this dessert.
Chocolate is delicious, decadent, & indulgent. I have some every day. Literally. While just a few bites is sufficient for me most of the time, on a special occasion like Valentine’s Day, a rich, chocolatey dessert, using 3 sources of chocolate, is required.
Due to their heart-like shape, red color, and enticing taste, the Romans considered the strawberry a symbol of Venus, the goddess of love. The berry was also a symbol of fertility, due to the abundant exterior seeds. Strawberries were esteemed enough to be carved into church altars and cathedral pillars in medieval times as a representation of perfection. And they certainly do put the finishing touch on this dessert for this holiday!
Chocolate Ganache Tart
Chocolate Ganache Tart (adapted from familycircle.com) Makes 12 servings, Prep Time: 15 m, Refrigerate: 2 hours
Ingredients:
- 9 ounces Oreos or chocolate wafers
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 9 ounces milk chocolate morsels, divided
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate morsels
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 6 strawberries, sliced
Directions:
Break up the cookies and and place them in a food processor. Process the cookies until they are fine crumbs.
Process the cookies to fine crumbs.
Add the melted butter and process until the crust is blended.
Pour the melted butter over the crumbs to make the crust.
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch Springform or removable-bottom tart pan. Freeze the crust while preparing the filling.
Transfer the crust mixture to the pan.
Place 8 ounces of the milk chocolate and all the bittersweet chocolate in a medium bowl.
Combine the chocolates in a medium bowl.
Heat cream to just steaming and pour it over the chocolate. Whisk the mixture until it is smooth.
Heat the cream to steaming.
Pour the cream over the chocolates and whisk until the chocolate is melted & thoroughly mixed.
Pour the chocolate mixture over the crust.
Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
Top the filling with the strawberries.
Add the strawberries to the tart.
Refrigerate the tart for 2 hours or up to overnight. Melt the remaining ounce of milk chocolate and drizzle it over tart. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
A Valentine’s Day treat!
Chocolate + Strawberries = Love! ~Linda
Chocolate Ganache Tart (adapted from familycircle.com) Makes 12 servings, Prep Time: 15 m, Refrigerate: 2 hours
Ingredients:
- 9 ounces Oreos or chocolate wafers
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 9 ounces milk chocolate morsels, divided
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate morsels
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 6 strawberries, sliced
Directions:
Break up the cookies and and place them in a food processor. Process the cookies until they are fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and process until the crust is blended. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch Springform or removable-bottom tart pan. Freeze the crust while preparing the filling.
Place 8 ounces of the milk chocolate and all the bittersweet chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream to just steaming and pour it over the chocolate. Whisk the mixture until it is smooth.
Pour the chocolate mixture over the crust and top it with the strawberries. Refrigerate the tart for 2 hours or up to overnight. Melt the remaining ounce of milk chocolate and drizzle it over tart. Refrigerate until ready to serve.