Chocolate Cream & Raspberry Tartlets

I love early mornings during the week. The alarm starts singing before six each weekday and at first I pretend not to hear her warning. I play coy, although I finally succumb to the song that ends up playing on repeat in my mind for the next few hours. Once out of bed, I look out the back window and stare at the soft clouds dancing across the sky.

The beautiful beginning.

I head downstairs and start the coffee maker, and at that moment it's the only sound heard in my house. I pull back the curtains in the kitchen and watch the sun skip across my kitchen floor. And I pull up a seat at the high top in the kitchen with my morning cup of coffee and feel blessed that my life has unfolded in this manner. The day is ahead of me but the beginning has set the tone.

Usually while sitting at that table and watching the clock, I start to think about dinner. And I start to drift towards dessert and tartlets and this dessert. I love the explosion of flavour that comes from these small tarts, so I'm often experimenting with the base and the filling. And we're always so happy with the results. So much so, I made this to cap Mother's Day off right.

Each day as spring unfolds with whispers of warm air and rebirth, I tend to let it penetrate my soul and fall in love with the new beginnings and new season. It's hard not to feel her charm and love. It's all around me and brings me hope. And when I see a new example of spring unfolding before my eyes, I think about the fruits and produce being picked locally. New season, new charm.

I recently picked up a few pints of berries from the market and was itching to add them into a dessert. A perfect balance of cream and fruit with dessert. And I love the harmony of chocolate and berries, so this Chocolate Cream & Raspberry Tartlet came to me quickly and without warning.



I made these Lime Cheesecake Tartlets  and also these Lemon-Blueberry Tartlets both for weekday desserts. The combinations are endless, but the results all have the same brilliant taste. So this time I started with graham cracker crumb for the base and worked from there. One bite reads like the first chapter from spring's book. Fresh and vibrant and new.

It is the perfect ending to a beautiful spring day. As I turn into our driveway and park beside my wife's car, I sit inside for a minute after I turn the car off. The kids are outside in the neighbourhoods again after months of hibernation and you can hear their laughter from a block away. Some are in their front yards playing games and enjoying the chance to be outside again. And I take it all in with a smile.

The smile that sits on my face is because my wife is inside ready to go on a long walk with me. And when we return we have a spring dessert waiting to be enjoyed. I can hardly contain my excitement.

It's amazing that we all have this connection with spring and warmer weather. And we all have certain connections to food. This particular dessert works with both of those in mind. So we sit at that high top in the kitchen and pull back the curtains and enjoy the sun as spring welcomes me home.

From my kitchen to yours, happy eating!

Chocolate Cream & Raspberry Tartlets

The Goods:

• 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp. icing sugar
• 100 grams cream cheese, room temperature
• 55 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1/8 cup creme fraiche
• 2 tbsp. whipped cream (heavy cream and icing sugar)
• handful of raspberries for topping

Prep:

1. Add the graham cracker crumbs to a medium mixing bowl and add in the butter and sugar. Mix together until combined and press into the sides and bottom of spring form tartlet pans. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to set up firmly.
2. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a heatproof pan over simmering water. Remove from heat once melted.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. In a small bowl, beat the heavy cream and icing sugar until soft peaks form. Add the creme fraiche into the smooth cream cheese and add in the whipped cream. Mix until smooth and creamy.
4. Divide the chocolate cream mixture amongst 4 tarlet pans and smooth out with a spatula or the back of the spoon. Top with raspberries and refrigerate until ready to serve.