TWD: Chocolate Truffle Tartlets

I hope you guys had a great Presidents' day!  It was also my brother's birthday and the whole day, my kids were trying to get out of doing things since it was his birthday.  Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.  I spent the day baking in celebration of some great men. :)

As you can see, our recipe this week was Chocolate TRUFFLE tartlets.  I took that to mean they would be really rich and delicious.  And I was right.

I didn't have tartlet tins and I debated whether or not to spend the extra money to get the little tins with a removable bottom or the cheaper one-piecers.  I wonder if I sometimes look insane at the store.  Are there other people who turn such a small decision into a life or death crisis?  After some deliberation, most of it in my head, I decided on the cheaper version since this would be the first time I would make tartlets and who knows how long it would be before the next time, right?  Well, after making these, I should have paid the extra 6 dollars and bought the 2-piecers.  (I know that's not a word, but it should be!)  These were delicious.  Probably not something I would make on a weekly basis, but I do think I should make them again sometime in the near future.  Maybe when we have friends over to help us eat them. 

The recipe called for biscotti.  I wasn't sure if there would be a good substitute for that so I stuck to the recipe.  Now that I have made it, I loved the biscotti, but I also think just some roasted almonds would take care of the crunch with a little less effort.  Especially since I made the biscotti, store bought would also be easier.  But I couldn't find it at the store!

 It was my first biscotti experience, but I think it went well??

The tart dough was supposed to be divided and then each piece rolled out.  It seemed like it would be easier to roll one big piece and cut out circles.  My tart tins were smaller than the recipe called for so I only needed 4 inch circles of dough to take care of the situation.

I didn't have bittersweet chocolate, so I used semi-sweet and everyone survived.

 There are 3 kinds of chocolate in these....How could they not be good?

 The book had quite an extensive plan to pair with the tart; having to do with a cookie and ice cream that you also make.  I decided to just go with raspberries since I had already made the biscotti and dinner and the tartlets.  (That was enough for one day.)

 I think I forget how much I love raspberries.  I am always too busy thinking about strawberries.  Raspberries are good.

I loved the shell on top and the soft center.  To be honest, I didn't even need the crust with the biscotti in the mixture.  But since it was there, I ate it.
Since I bought the one-piecers, we had to eat our tartlets out of the pan.  It was ghastly, really.  The things I do.

Well, I can check two things off my list that I had never made before today.  Yay!

If you would like to see what the other bakers are doing, you can check out the Tuesdays with Dorie site.

If you would like the recipe (trust me, it's a good idea), you can check out one of these blogs:
Spike Bakes, A Whisk and a Spoon, Good Eats and Sweet Treats, and Cookbookhabit