Sunday, February 12, 2012

Chocolate Raspberry Tartelettes


Do you love yourself?

Certainly, Valentine's Day is all about sharing your love with others, telling them why you value them, and perhaps expressing this with a bright bouquet of flowers, a box of chocolates, or a colorful card.

This year, how about expressing some of that love to yourself?  

We can only love so much.  As we give out more and more of our time, energy, and care, there comes a point when we need to refuel.

Consider Valentine's Day your time to do just that.

So--Courtney, because I love you, I made you these adorable chocolate raspberry tartelettes.  When you bite into them they provoke day dreams of Parisian patisseries.  Oh, and you don't even have to share them.  Happy Valentine's Day.  

Love always,
Courtney


Chocolate Raspberry Tartelettes

Ingredients:

pastry recipe (same used for mini chicken pot pies: scroll to bottom of link)
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Raspberry curd or other jam/preserves
Sugar for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.  Lightly spray mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray,

On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled pastry dough until about 1/8" thick.  Cut out circles using a 2" circular cookie cutter (mine had fluted edges, hence the decorative creasing of the dough).  

Press pastry rounds into bottom of mini muffin pan and up sides.  Prick each pastry round in the pan once or twice with a fork.  Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 15 minutes, and remove from oven.  Place about 5 chocolate chips in each tartelette.  Return pan to oven for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until chocolate has softened and pastry appears golden.

Allow to cool.  Top with a tablespoon of your favorite jam, and decorate with an additional chocolate chip.