Bitesize Chocolate Cookie Tart Slice (+recipe)

A sweet chocolate gluten free sugar cookie tart with a rich and smooth chocolate ganache filling.

A bitesize slice of the cookie tart I made, I just had to show you the inside. The slice is presented on a saucer from an espresso cup to give you another idea on the size.


Please note for the following recipe, I often do not take note of quantities whilst baking as I am constantly adding more or less as I go so don't be surprised if the quantities are a little off. You will almost certainly have some leftover cookie dough. For left over cookie dough, place in a zip lock bag and freeze for up to one month to use for other things or in the fridge for 24 hours before it must be baked. Leftover ganache can be used as little chocolate pots.

RECIPE
Make 4 tartlets or one big tart
INGREDIENTS

Cookie Dough
200g unsalted butter, room temperature
150g sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
275g plain/all purpose flour or gluten free flour
25g cocoa powder (not hot chocolate powder!)

Ganache Filling
150g Dark/Plain chocolate
150g Double/Heavy cream
25g butter
Extra flavour ideas for filling
Orange zest
peppermint
nuts
fruit
white instead of plain chocolate.

METHOD
1. Make your cookie dough by creaming together the butter and sugar, then add the vanilla and egg before mixing in the flour and cocoa.
2. Using your hands make the dough into a ball, the heat of your hands will help bring the dough together which may still feel crumbly and hard to manage at this point. Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 10-15minutes as the dough can get a little sticky.
3. Preheat your oven to 180/fan 160C/gas 4. Grease your tartlet or tart cases before rolling out your cookie dough on a floured surface to around 4mm thick.
4. Cover your tarlet/tart cases with the dough, filling in any tears or holes with excess dough. Use a knife or your fingers to remove any excess dough from the tops of your cases.
5. Prick your cookie dough bases several times, cover with greaseproof/wax paper and fill with baking beans/marbles or dried rice, pasta etc.
6. Blind bake for about 10 minutes for small cases, longer for a large tart before removing the paper and beans and placing back in the oven for a further 5 minutes or so to cook the base through thoroughly. It can be hard to tell with a chocolate dough sometimes when it may be ready so keep an eye on it, you don't want the base to look wet and once touched is a little firm but still springy. Leave to cool on a wire rack while you make the filling.
7. To make the ganache filling, firstly heat the cream in a pan until it starts to boil slightly. Turn off the heat, add the butter and chocolate broken into pieces, the heat from the hot cream should be enough to melt the chocolate and butter.
8. Mix in any added flavours to the ganache before pouring into your tart cases. Refrigerate for at least one to two hours until set. The tart can keep for 2-3 days in the fridge.
9. Gently remove tarts from the cases and decorate how you like shortly before serving, I simply sieved on a little icing sugar and added some chocolates. Serving with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream would finish it off nicely.