Tuesday, March 16, 2010

A hit and a miss



I'm sitting here at my dining room table, and all I can think is how great this chocolate raspberry tart smells now that we've cut into it.  I don't really smell the raspberry, but the chocolate filling and browned crust smell fantastic. =)  Brianna and Gillian were more than happy to help me sample it after I took some pictures.  Anything that bears a passing resemblance to chocolate pudding is a good thing in their book. =)  I'm happy that it was well received, which is more than I can say for dinner.

Are any other parents out there a bit tired of the negative reactions you get when you dare to put something new on the table?  For dinner tonight, I decided to make a recipe from my new issue of Fine Cooking.  It was this, for those who might be interested (I did add some cooked shredded chicken to the dish).  (And I have to say, it's a good thing that I don't blog savory dishes, because as tasty as it was, the dish was far from photogenic--mmm, tan. =) )  I have to give Brianna credit for eating some and not complaining about it too much.  She mostly said that it was okay, but that she prefers regular spaghetti and meatballs.  Gillian, on the other hand, didn't like it at all and was quite vocal about it.  I managed to coax her to eat a few bites of chicken and pasta after removing the offending leeks.  I'm pretty sure the only reason she ate as much as she did is because she really wanted more tart for dessert. =)



I should probably mention that the tart is this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe. (But you already guessed that, I'm sure.)  It was chosen by Rachelle of Mommy? I'm Hungry!.  I was excited to see this one come up, since I love the combination of raspberries with chocolate.  It also gave me another chance to make Dorie's delicious Sweet Tart Crust.  This recipe calls for the variation with nuts, which I haven't tried before.  I dug through my freezer and came up with some almond meal, so that's what I used.  I have to agree with Dorie's suggestion to bake the tart crust a bit longer to make sure that it's nicely browned.  For the filling, I used 3 ounces of El Rey 70% chocolate and 2 ounces of their milk chocolate, which is 41%.  I was happy to find some really nice raspberries that weren't too expensive.  I did end up baking the filled tart for a bit longer than the recipe suggests--35 minutes all together.  At that point it was fully set and just barely puffing around the edge.  


The verdict?  This one is a keeper. =)  I love the contrasts in this tart.  The soft filling contrasts nicely with the crisp crust.  And the flavors work well with each other well--the tart raspberries are a nice foil for the rich chocolate filling, and I love the nutty browned butter flavor of the crust.  Jamie's comment was that the tart is well-balanced.  Brianna and Gillian both loved it, too, especially with some whipped cream on top.  I don't think they even noticed the nuts in the crust (or they would have complained about it). =)

If you'd like to try this one for yourself, head on over to Rachelle's blog for the recipe.  And don't forget to check out the TWD blogroll to see how everyone else did this week!


20 comments:

  1. That is truly beautiful!! Came out perfect :)

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  2. One beautiful slice of tart.

    Kids (and husbands) are so picky sometimes. At least the Son eats everything. Hubs, not so much. I feel your pain. 8-)

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  3. That looks beautiful and sounds pretty easy. I will try it! It's an excuse to buy a tart pan...

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  4. Grownups aren't always wild about being thrown a culinary curveball, too. Still remember the time I followed a Joan Nathan recipe for matzo balls that called for a bit o grated ginger - oh, brother! Did I hear about that one!;

    This tart looks outstanding, Di!

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  5. G & B are far more adventurous than the average. As for G and her young tender tastebuds, hmmm... she'll get there later.

    The tart looks beautiful; looks better than most of the stuff I see in magazines.

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  6. B&G will surely develop more refined taste buds with you as their mom! Your tart is gorgeous! I would have eaten my dinner to get a piece of that for sure!

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  7. I heart your tart slice picture esp with the swirl of whipped cream topped with a little raspberry. Practically perfect in every way. Glad the girls enjoyed it even if they didn't care for dinner. I don't have any kids and I'm glad my Hubs isn't too picky about trying new things or maybe kids are just more honest? ;)
    -CB
    http://iheartfood4thought.com

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  8. Your tart looks awesome and I'm glad it was a hit. Too bad about the picky eaters, but I think they will grow out it. I did. ;)

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  9. Mmm, that does look delicious.
    My guys are still picky.. each in their own way. But adults so not as big a problem for me!

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  10. Very nice, Di. Yes, I totally sympathize with your dinner menu woes. I have three who would Eeeeeewww when they weren't happy to eat. At least they had some incentive that is really yummy.
    Perfecto!!!
    AmyRuth

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  11. Your tart looks gorgeous! I agree with you, this recipe is definitely a keeper :-)

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  12. Ha! B&G have surely been talking to Shane because that's almost exactly how he behaves when I put something on the table that's new or out of his comfort zone. *sigh*

    Your tart is gorgeous! I liked this one with just the chocolate, but it was super rich so I'll definitely revisit this summer when raspberries aren't so expensive. Glad it was a hit for you guys :)

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  13. Your tart looks perfect! I was lucky enough to find raspberries that weren't too expensive and that were gorgeous. I loved this recipe and will definitely make it again.

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  14. This tart looks amazing!!!!! I just LOVE raspberries!

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  15. Gorgeous tart! Sounds like a keeper for sure. And love the recipe in the link, too. That combo with pasta is a fave. Last year added ramps to the mix, and oh my!

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  16. Thanks for baking along with me this week and stopping by my blog. =) Your tart looks great! I glad everyone enjoyed it!
    I blog about all things foods, but will only post the recipes that were liked by my family. I have hit and miss days with my kid's eating habits too.

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  17. I'm with G - I think I'd eat *anything* for a slice of your tart!!! So beautiful and I can just imagine the taste. Dorie's tart crust is the most perfect thing in her book, imo, and all of her tarts have been great. Another winner!

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  18. Don't check my blog as I haven't been home to cook anything since last week, so not made yet. I will make it soon however as the guys are really looking forward to it. Yours looks beautiful!

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  19. Di, your tart is absolutely beautiful! I'd eat a dinner I didn't want to eat for a slice of it! Such gorgeous presentation!

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  20. I'm glad you liked it... I didn't much. Should I make it again, I'd add more sugar and more chocolate, I thought the chocolate taste was not pronounced enough for the tantalizing dept of its color.

    And in fact, your picture's colors are amazing, bright and lively! Bravo!

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