Chocolate Tart and Chocolate Mousse -Dessert - healthtastefood

The French are well known for their elegant chocolate desserts, each one more elaborate then the next. But some of the most popular French chocolate dessert recipes are very quick and easy to prepare. Either one of these chocolaty treats would be fit to serve company, but no need to wait until you're entertaining to give them a try.

Please note that although they are simple to make, these French chocolate desserts require the best ingredients possible, especially for the chocolate, which should be a good quality baking chocolate. Also, do make these desserts ahead of time so they have enough time to chill before serving.

Chocolate Tart

Tarte à la Ganache

• 1 9 inch pre-baked tart or pie shell


• 10 ounces good quality, sweet, dark chocolate


• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream

Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a sturdy, heat resistant mixing bowl.

Pour the cream into a small saucepan and warm on medium heat. Remove from heat as soon as it comes to a boil.

Pour the hot cream on top of the chocolate and cover the mixing bowl with a plate. Let it sit for five minutes.

Using a wooden spoon stir the chocolate and cream until completely mixed. Pour into the pie shell.

Refrigerate your tart for at least an hour before eating. You can decorate it just before serving with colored candies, chocolate curls and/or whipped cream..

Makes 8 servings

Chocolate Mousse

Mousse Au Chocolat

• 8 ounces good quality dark cooking chocolate


• 6 eggs, at room temperature


• whipped cream (optional)

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.

Seperate the eggs into two large bowls.

Beat the egg whites until very stiff.

Stir the melted chocolate into the egg yolks, beating vigorously until the mixture is smooth.

Stir one third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and mix until thoroughly blended.

Carefully fold in the rest of the egg whites.

Spoon the mousse into individual parfait glasses, chill and serve with whipped cream and shaved choclate if you wish.

4 to 6 servings

HOMEMADE MUSHROOM PIZZA RECIPE

How to prepare homemade Mushroom Pizza Recipe? For this pizza parlor favorite, you can use sliced cremini or white button Mushrooms or make it with all sorts of exotic and wild mushrooms. In the end, they all must be sliced thinly so they cook evenly and quickly. The only other trick? Make sure you sauté them long enough so they give off their liquid in the skillet and it evaporates almost completely to keep the crust from getting soggy over the heat. Recipe makes 1 pizza. Here are ingredients and directions:

HOMEMADE MUSHROOM PIZZA RECIPE

INGREDIENTS :

All- purpose flour for the pizza peel or olive oil for the pizza tray or a large baking sheet

One recipe homemade dough or 1 pound purchased fresh dough or frozen dough, thawed; or one 12 to 14 inch store bought, pre baked plain pizza crust

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

4 cups cleaned, thinly sliced mushrooms, preferably cremini or white button, or some exotic varietals mixed in with them

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

6 tablespoons Classic Pizza Sauce or jarred plain pizza sauce

6 ounces mozzarella, shredded

1 ounce Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

BAKING OPTIONS

With a pizza stone. Preheat the stone in the oven at 450°F for 30 to 45 minutes; or preheat the stone on a gas grill at medium, indirect heat (about 450°F) for 30 to 45 minutes; or build an indirect, medium- heat coal bed in a charcoal grill and preheat the stone for the same amount of time.With a pizza tray or a large baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 450°F, a gas grill to indirect, medium heat (about 450°F), or build an indirect, medium- heat coal bed around the perimeter of a charcoal grill.

CRUST OPTIONSFresh dough on a pizza stone. Dust a pizza peel with flour, set the dough at its center, and form the dough into a large, flat circle by dimpling it with your fingertips. Pick it up by its edge and rotate it, stretching gently, until it's about 14 inches in diameter. Set it floured side down on the peel.Fresh dough on a pizza tray or a large baking sheet. Grease the tray or baking sheet with olive oil. Lay the dough at the center and dimple the dough with your fingertips then pull and press it until it forms a 14 inch circle on the tray or an irregular rectangle, about 12 x 7 inches, on the baking sheet.A prebaked crust. Place it on a floured pizza peel if you're also using a pizza stone or place the pre baked crust right on a pizza tray or a large baking sheet.

DIRECTIONS :

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.

2. Add the mushrooms and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms give off their liquid. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce; continue cooking, stirring frequently, until any liquid in the pan has been reduced to a glaze, about 5 minutes. Cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, spread the pizza sauce evenly over the crust, leaving a 1 �2- inch border around the edge. Evenly cover the sauce with the shredded mozzarella.

4. Spoon and spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the cheese, then top with the grated Parmigiano- Reggiano.

5. Slide the pizza from the peel to the preheated stone; if you're using a pizza tray or a baking sheet, place it in the oven or over the unheated section of the grill grate. Bake or grill with the lid closed until the cheese begins to bubble and the crust has firmed up at its edge, 16 to 18 minutes. If you're using fresh pizza dough, check on it a few times during the first 10 minutes so you can pop any air bubbles that may dot its surface or edge. Once the pie is done, slip the peel back under the crust to remove it from the hot stone or use oven mitts to set the tray or baking sheet with its pie on a wire cooling rack. Wait 5 minutes before slicing. If you want to make sure the crust stays crisp, take the pie off the peel, tray, or sheet after a minute or two and let it cool directly on the wire rack.

NOTE : You'll need 12 to 14 ounces of mushrooms to get 4 cups sliced. Avoid Portobello caps because they are too big. And use only the caps of shiitake mushrooms, not their fibrous stems. In any case, clean whole mushrooms with damp paper towels.

Follow the directions and you will be surprised how good this recipe is. Hope you enjoy this pizza recipe and Bon Apetit.