Deep Dark Chocolate Tort

Greg Esres · Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 15

I followed a recipe for this from Sherry Yard's book, "The Secrets of
Baking." The ends results tasted great, but I wasn't at all pleased
with how my tart shell turned out. I've never made one before.The
ganache filling hid a lot of the mistakes, but the fluted edges
weren't nearly as attractive as the book.

To start with, the recipe didn't match the picture. The picture showed
a very deep tart, something like 2 inches, whereas the recipe made
enough dough and filling for a regular shallow tort pan. I doubled
the recipe for the filling, and increased the dough by 25%, which was
adequate to fill my 2" deep tart pan, a quiche pan actually.

The dough is nothing more than butter and sugar lightly mixed with
flour. Nothing to hold it together at all, except the butter, which
meant the dough requires thorough chilling before being rolled out.
The dough fell apart while fitting it into the tart pan, but I was
able to piece it back together. I then rolled over the pan with a
rolling pin to make the edges uniform. Then chilled for 20 minutes
before baking.

During baking, the edges slid down 1/4 of an inch and were somewhat
misshapen. The exterior of the shell showed voids. All-in-all, it
just wasn't as pretty as the picture in the book. Why not? Is this
dough not suitable for a deep tart shell? Does it collapse under its
own weight? Does this shell benefit from a convection oven that will
crisp it before the butter has time to melt?

Any suggestions appreciated.

Archived from group: rec>food>cooking

sf · Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 466

On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 22:09:58 -0800 (PST), Greg Esres
wrote:

>I followed a recipe for this from Sherry Yard's book, "The Secrets of
>Baking." The ends results tasted great, but I wasn't at all pleased
>with how my tart shell turned out. I've never made one before.The
>ganache filling hid a lot of the mistakes, but the fluted edges
>weren't nearly as attractive as the book.
>
>To start with, the recipe didn't match the picture. The picture showed
>a very deep tart, something like 2 inches, whereas the recipe made
>enough dough and filling for a regular shallow tort pan. I doubled
>the recipe for the filling, and increased the dough by 25%, which was
>adequate to fill my 2" deep tart pan, a quiche pan actually.
>
>The dough is nothing more than butter and sugar lightly mixed with
>flour. Nothing to hold it together at all, except the butter, which
>meant the dough requires thorough chilling before being rolled out.
>The dough fell apart while fitting it into the tart pan, but I was
>able to piece it back together. I then rolled over the pan with a
>rolling pin to make the edges uniform. Then chilled for 20 minutes
>before baking.
>
>During baking, the edges slid down 1/4 of an inch and were somewhat
>misshapen. The exterior of the shell showed voids. All-in-all, it
>just wasn't as pretty as the picture in the book. Why not? Is this
>dough not suitable for a deep tart shell? Does it collapse under its
>own weight? Does this shell benefit from a convection oven that will
>crisp it before the butter has time to melt?
>
>Any suggestions appreciated.

Post the recipe, then we can make cogent remarks.

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Miche · Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Posts: 113

In article
,
Greg Esres wrote:

> I followed a recipe for this from Sherry Yard's book, "The Secrets of
> Baking." The ends results tasted great, but I wasn't at all pleased
> with how my tart shell turned out. I've never made one before.The
> ganache filling hid a lot of the mistakes, but the fluted edges
> weren't nearly as attractive as the book.
>
> To start with, the recipe didn't match the picture. The picture showed
> a very deep tart, something like 2 inches, whereas the recipe made
> enough dough and filling for a regular shallow tort pan. I doubled
> the recipe for the filling, and increased the dough by 25%, which was
> adequate to fill my 2" deep tart pan, a quiche pan actually.
>
> The dough is nothing more than butter and sugar lightly mixed with
> flour. Nothing to hold it together at all, except the butter, which
> meant the dough requires thorough chilling before being rolled out.
> The dough fell apart while fitting it into the tart pan, but I was
> able to piece it back together. I then rolled over the pan with a
> rolling pin to make the edges uniform. Then chilled for 20 minutes
> before baking.
>
> During baking, the edges slid down 1/4 of an inch and were somewhat
> misshapen. The exterior of the shell showed voids. All-in-all, it
> just wasn't as pretty as the picture in the book. Why not? Is this
> dough not suitable for a deep tart shell? Does it collapse under its
> own weight? Does this shell benefit from a convection oven that will
> crisp it before the butter has time to melt?
>
> Any suggestions appreciated.

I always make a recipe as it is intended the first time around, and
troubleshoot from there. Might be worth a crack.

Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

Greg Esres · Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 15

wrote: >

I'll try, but it's hard. Smile

The initial recipe was on page 42, but
said to turn to 221 to make the dough. Page 221 gave some directions,
but refered to page 216 for other instructions. And page 216 said
look on page 211. And the picture was on some unnumbered page in the
middle.

Argh!

Greg Esres · Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 15

< troubleshoot from there. Might be worth a crack. >>

Actually, I did, but threw away the result. The second time, I
increased everything proportionally, so it was the same recipe, just
different quantity.

As for the dish size, I have no idea what dish size the recipe
intended. It didn't say, amongst my many complaints of this book.

Miche · Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Posts: 113

In article
,
Greg Esres wrote:

> < > troubleshoot from there. Might be worth a crack. >>
>
> Actually, I did, but threw away the result.

Good god, why? How wasteful! And no chance to snatch victory from the
jaws of defeat.

> The second time, I
> increased everything proportionally, so it was the same recipe, just
> different quantity.

Did you alter the baking time (and perhaps temperature) accordingly, to
account for the difference in volume of the filling?

> As for the dish size, I have no idea what dish size the recipe
> intended. It didn't say, amongst my many complaints of this book.

Please post the original recipe so we can troubleshoot from a decent
starting point.

Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

Greg Esres · Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 15

Miche wrote:

< the jaws of defeat.>>

Just a shell ! Consider it a prototype. Smile

< to
account for the difference in volume of the filling?>>

Just the shell. The filling was not to be baked (chocolate and
cream), just chilled.

< starting point.>>

I will when I get home.

Thank you.

Miche · Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Posts: 113

In article
,
Greg Esres wrote:

> Miche wrote:
>
> < > the jaws of defeat.>>
>
> Just a shell ! Consider it a prototype. Smile

Oh, thank goodness.

> < > to
> account for the difference in volume of the filling?>>
>
> Just the shell. The filling was not to be baked (chocolate and
> cream), just chilled.
>
> < > starting point.>>
>
> I will when I get home.
>
> Thank you.

Excellent.

Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

Greg Esres · Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 15

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa power
1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened, but still cool
1/2 cup powered sugar

1.Sift together the flour and cocoa power into a medium bowl and set
aside.
2.Place the butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a
paddle attachment. Beat on low speed for 2-3 minutes, or until
lightly creamed. Stop the mixer ands scrape down the sides of the
bowl. Add the powered sugar and mix for 30 seconds. Scrape down the
sides of the bowl.
3.Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until the dough
comes together, about 30 seconds.
4.Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap it in plastic film. Chill
for at least 4 hours.
5.Roll or press out and prebake the dough as directed in Sweet Dough
(page 216). Cool on a rack before using.

To Bake:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Adjust rack to lower third of the oven. Prick
the bottom of the pastry shell a few times with a fork. Line the
dough with a faux filling as directed in the master recipe (see page
211). Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove the faux filling and bake for 6
to 10 minutes more.

Miche · Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Posts: 113

In article
,
Greg Esres wrote:

> 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
> 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa power
> 1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened, but still cool
> 1/2 cup powered sugar
>
> 1.Sift together the flour and cocoa power into a medium bowl and set
> aside.
> 2.Place the butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a
> paddle attachment. Beat on low speed for 2-3 minutes, or until
> lightly creamed. Stop the mixer ands scrape down the sides of the
> bowl. Add the powered sugar and mix for 30 seconds. Scrape down the
> sides of the bowl.
> 3.Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until the dough
> comes together, about 30 seconds.
> 4.Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap it in plastic film. Chill
> for at least 4 hours.
> 5.Roll or press out and prebake the dough as directed in Sweet Dough
> (page 216). Cool on a rack before using.
>
> To Bake:
>
> Preheat oven to 350 F. Adjust rack to lower third of the oven. Prick
> the bottom of the pastry shell a few times with a fork. Line the
> dough with a faux filling as directed in the master recipe (see page
> 211). Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove the faux filling and bake for 6
> to 10 minutes more.

So baked blind, yes?

Pastry is more commonly made with very cold butter cut into the flour
and then any liquids added (usually ice water). Try it that way and see
if you get a better result.

Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

Christine Dabney · Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 181

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:08:35 +1300, Miche
wrote:

Chill
>> for at least 4 hours.>> 5.Roll or press out and prebake the dough as directed in Sweet Dough
>> (page 216). Cool on a rack before using.
>>
>> To Bake:
>>
>> Preheat oven to 350 F. Adjust rack to lower third of the oven. Prick
>> the bottom of the pastry shell a few times with a fork. Line the
>> dough with a faux filling as directed in the master recipe (see page
>> 211). Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove the faux filling and bake for 6
>> to 10 minutes more.

One of the things I have read that may help here is to freeze the tart
shell before baking. It will shrink a lot less. Put it straight into
the oven from the freezer.

Christine

sf · Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 466

On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 07:26:03 -0800 (PST), Greg Esres
wrote:

>wrote: >
>
>I'll try, but it's hard. Smile

The initial recipe was on page 42, but
>said to turn to 221 to make the dough. Page 221 gave some directions,
>but refered to page 216 for other instructions. And page 216 said
>look on page 211. And the picture was on some unnumbered page in the
>middle.
>
>Argh!

This is when your scanner and tinypic comes into play. I'll tell you
though, I want my recipe on ONE page.... don't make me flip around.

If I remember correctly, you problem was mainly with the dough? It
sounded like it was a little dry... IOW you needed a smidge more
liquid. Also, when you prebaked it you should have "baked blind" -
which would have taken care of the shrinkage/slippage factor.

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Greg Esres · Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 15

Miche wrote:

>

Yes.

< flour and then any liquids added (usually ice water). Try it that way
and see if you get a better result.>>

Another book I have, "Professional Baking" says that "Pate Brisee" is
usually used for large tarts, but doesn't say what "large" is. It has
butter cut in the way you say. But that's not a sweet dough, which is
what I needed. Only a very few pastries in this book use the cut-in
method...mainly pie shells and biscuits.

What about cutting in the butter do you think would solve my problem?
It would still melt.

Greg Esres · Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 15

Christine wrote:

< tart
shell before baking. It will shrink a lot less. Put it straight into
the oven from the freezer. >>

I did chill it for about 20-30 minutes.

Another book I have suggests placing another tart pan inside the shell
and then bake it upside down. Keeps the dough from shrinking.

Greg Esres · Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 15

someone wrote:

< sounded like it was a little dry... IOW you needed a smidge more
liquid. Also, when you prebaked it you should have "baked blind" -
which would have taken care of the shrinkage/slippage factor. >>

I did bake blind. Why do you think it was dry? The recipe didn't
call for any liquid, other than what's in the butter. Other books
have eggs in the crust.

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