Friday, March 11, 2011

CHOCOLATE TARTLETS & BOOK REVIEW

Chocolate Tartlets Picnik collage 1 bis
BOOK REVIEW - CRITIQUE DE LIVRE

I've always been a sucker for pastries of all kinds and love the way the house is filled with wonderful scents during my baking sessions, so when the Editions Larousse proposed to send me Isidora Popovic's French version of "Popina's Book of Baking"
("Gâteaux Maison", collection Les Authentiques) I was delighted by their kind proposition... /// J'ai toujours eu un faible pour les pâtisseries en tous genres et j'adore la manière dont mon appartement embaume lorsque je prépare des gâteaux, alors quand les Editions Larousse ont proposé de m'envoyer le livre "Gâteaux Maison" d'Isidora Popovic (traduit de l'anglais, collection Les Authentiques) une immense joie m'envahi...

The talented and award-winning Serbian-born Isidora Popovic is the owner of Popina and the baker behind this popular London-based bakery/brand which was founded in 2000. She started with a grant from Prince Charles' Prince's Trust and a stall in London's Portobello Market. Nowadays this bakery's handmade, organic, additive-free, seasonal, products also grace the shelves of many British gourmet food shops. /// La talentueuse et primée serbe est la propriétaire de Popina et se trouve aux commandes de cette pâtisserie/marque londonienne qui fut créée en 2000. Elle a démarré son business grâce à une subvention du Prince Charles' Prince's Trust et commencé avec seulement un stand au Portobello Market. Maintenant, les créations bios, sans additifs et de saison sont aussi vendues dans de nombreux magasins pour gourmets en Angleterre.

Upon leafing through her publication what comes immediately to mind is the variety of treats that is presented within it's pages. There are more than 70 straightforward and mouthwatering sweet as well as savory artisan-style recipes for all tastes (cookies, tarts, cakes & muffins). Most of the delicacies are Anglo-Saxon inspired, but there are also a few Eastern European treats like strudels and böreks. None of the goodies are difficult to make and there are plenty of great ideas to find in her beautifully illustrated bestseller. /// Lorsqu'on feuillette ce livre gourmand et merveilleusement illustré on s'aperçoit immédiatement qu'il contient un grand nombre de recettes variées (70 en tout/cookies, tarts, cakes & muffins), faciles à réaliser et artisanales qui font saliver. La pupart des spécialités présentées sont d'origine anglo-saxonnes, mais il y a aussi un certain nombre de recettes en provenance d'Europe de l'Est (strudels et böreks).

Even if the specialities shared with us are maybe not the most original, I really love the way Isidora added her unique and personal touch to those classics in order to make them even more scrumptious and tempting. Fact is that it is impossible not to be attracted to her gorgeous creations as everything looks and sounds so droolworthy and appealong. /// Les gâteries qu'Isidora Popovic partage avec nous ne sont peut-être pas vraiment originales, mais néanmoins j'aime beaucoup les petites touches personnelles qu'elle ajoute ici et là afin de rendre ces classiques de la pâtisserie US/british encore plus alléchants et tentants.

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I have only been able to test two recipes ("Cranberry and Pecan Cookies" & "Chocolate And Pistachio Tartlets") so far and both turned out impeccably. That cookbook offers so many interesting bakes that I cannot wait to try them all, and especially her "Ginger And Chilli Caramel Biscuits", "Pineapple, Coconut And Lemon Biscuits", "Rhubarb Custard And Crumble Tartlets", "Nectarine And Summer Berry Tart", "Chocolate And Pistachio Tartlets", "Chocolate And Chestnut Tart", "Very Chocolate Cake", "Chocolate And Hazelnut Strudel", "Double Orange Truffle Brownies, "Stilton And Celery Bites", "Honey-Roast Parsnip, Carrot And Shallot Tart" and "Roast Potato And Spring Onion Tartlets" & "Cheese Burek". "Popina's Book Of Baking" ("Gâteaux Maison") is awesome and will rejoice both beginner and experimented hobby bakers alike.

As you can imagine choosing a recipe to blog about wasn't an leasurely task as I had bookmarked many pages and did not know where to start. After having hesitated for a while I finally decided to make Isidora's "Chocolate And Pistachio Tartlets" as they seemed to be particularly luscious and promising. Just what I needed in order to satiate my craving for lush cocoa-based desserts (spring always makes me lust after chocolate)!

The tartlets were slightly time-consuming to produce, but the recipe's steps were easy. No violent swearing or pan-banging was to be heard and it showed in the final result. Their sexy aspect was extremely satisfying and they provided the most voluptuous of pleasures.

At the bottom of each "Chocolate And Pistachio Tartlet" lays a succulent shortcrust pastry that was exquisitely flaky, buttery and which's light bitterness as well as saltiness balanced wonderfully the overall sweetness of that . In their center a soft génoise was embedded, providing airy smoothness. As if that was not decadent enough the tartlets were glazed with a luxurious dark ganache and sprinkled with pistachios. Divine!

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~ Chocolate & Pistachio Tartlets ~
Recipe adapted from the book "Gâteaux Maison" by Isidora Popovic, Éditions Larousse 2011.

Makes 8x9-10cm (3.7-inches) tartlets.

Ingredients For the "Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry":
225g All-purpose flour
1 Tsp Fine sea salt

25g Cocoa powder (unsweetened)
125g Unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
85g Light brown sugar
1 Big egg
Ingredients For the "Chocolate Génoise":
70g Light brown sugar
1 Big egg
55g All-purpose flour
1/2 Tsp Baking powder
2 Tsps Cocoa powder (unsweetened)
10g Unsalted butter
35g Dark chocolate (70%), chopped
Ingredients For The "Chocolate Ganache":
50g Dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
50g Milk chocolate, finely chopped
(I used dark chocolate instead)
150g Double cream (35% fat)
1 Handful pistacchios, chopped


Method For the "Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry":
1. Using a stand mixer, mix together the flour, salt, cocoa, butter and the sugar until you obtain a sand-like mixture (coarse meal).
2. Add the egg and continue mixing until the dough has just started to hold together.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl of the stand mixer and shape it into a ball of pastry.
4. Put the pastry on a floured surface and roll it to a thickness of 3-4mm (0.11-013 inches).
5. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F).
6. Butter 8 tartlet molds and line them with the pastry. Trim the edges. Put in the fridge.

Chocolate Tartlets Picnik collage 3 bis
Method For The "Choco late Ganache":
7. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and the egg. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until the mixture becomes pale and light.
8. Incorporate the flour, baking powder and cocoa.
9. Using a bain-marie, melt the butter and chocolate together, then incorporate this mixture to the previous mixture.
10. Add 2 Tsps water and mix well.
11. Remove the tartlets from the fridge and garnish each one of them with 1 1/2 Tbs chocolate génoise.
12. Bake for 15 minutes.
13. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Method For The "Chocolate Ganache":
14. Put both chocolates in a medium bowl and bring the cream to a boil (at medium temperature without forgetting to stir from time to time).
15. Pour the cream over the chocolate and mix well until you get a thick shiny ganache.
16. Pour the ganache (equally) over the tartlets and sprinkle with the pistachios.
17. Place the tartlets in the fridge.

Remarks:
If you wish you can make a ganache with exclusively dark chocolate or white chocolate.

For a coffee version of those tartlets you can also add 1 Tsp powder coffee to the water (warm) that is used for the chocolate génoise and incorporate 1/2 Tsp powder coffee to the cream that is used for making the choco
late ganache (dark or white).

Serving suggestions:
Serve cold with whipped cream and accompany with a
good coffee, ice coffe or a glass of ice cold milk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chocolate Tartlets Picnik collage 5 bis
~ Tartelettes Au Chocolat Et Aux Pistaches ~
Recette adaptée du livre "Gâteaux Maison" par Isidora Popovic, Éditions Larousse 2011.

Pour 8 tartes de 9-10cm de diamètre.

Ingrédients Pour La "Pâte Brisée Au Chocolat":
225g de Farine blanche
1 CC de Sel de mer fin
25g de Cacao en poudre (non-sucré)
125g de Beurre non-salé, coupé en petits cubes
85g de Sucre brun clair
1 Oeuf
Ingrédients Pour La "Génoise Au Chocolat":
70g de Sucre brun clair
1 Oeuf
55g de Farine blanche
1/2 CC de Poudre à lever
2 CC de Cacao en poudre
10g de Beurre non-salé
35g de Chocolat noir (70%), haché
Ingrédients Pour La "Ganache Au Chocolat":
50g de Chocolat noir (70%), finement haché
50g de Chocolat au lait, finement haché (je l'ai remplacé par du chocolat à 70% de cacao)
150g de Crème double (35% mat. grasses)
1 Poignée de Pistaches, hachées

Méthode Pour "Pâte Brisée Au Chocolat":
1. Dans un robot électrique, mixer ensemble la farine, le sel, le cacao, le beurre et le sucre brun jusqu'à obtention d'une consistence sableuse.
2. Incorporer l'oeuf et continuer à mélanger afin que la pâte se lie.
3. Retirer la pâte du robot et former une boule.
4. Poser la pâte sur un plan de travail légèrement fariné et l'étaler au rouleau à pâtisserie sur une épaisseur 3-4mm.
5. Préchauffer le four à 180° C (350° F).
6. Garnir 8 moules à tartelettes préalablement beurrés avec la pâte, puis couper les bords qui dépassent. Mettre au frigo.

Chocolate Tartlets Picnik collage 4 bis
Méthode Pour "Génoise Au Chocolat":
7. Dans un bol moyen, travailler le sucre et l'oeuf au fouet électrique jusqu'à obtention dans mélange jaune pâle.
8. Incorporer la farine, la poudre à lever et le cacao.
9. Faire fondre le beurre et le chocolat au bain-marie, puis les incorporer à la première préparation.
10. Ajouter 2 CS d'eau et bien mélanger.
11. Sortir les fonds de tarte du frigo, puis garnir chacun avec 1 1/2 CS de génoise au chocolat.
12. Cuire pendant 15 minutes.
13. Retirer du four et faire refroidir sur une grille pendant 10 minutes.
Méthode Pour La "Ganache Au Chocolat":
14. Mettre les chocolats dans un bol moyen puis porter la crème à ébullition dans une casserole (à feu doux en remuant régulièrement).
15. Verser la crème dans le bol et bien mélanger à l'aide d'un fouet afin d'obtenir une ganache onctueuse.
16. Répartir la ganache sur la génoise et parsemer de pistaches.
17. Mettre au frigo.

Remarques:
Si vous désirez, vous pouvez aussi préparer la ganache exclusivement avec du chocolat noir ou du chocolat blanc.
Pour des tartelettes au café, il vous est aussi possible d'ajouter 1 CC de café soluble à l'eau (que vous aurez chauffé) de la génoise et d'incorporer 1/2 CC de café soluble dans la crème pour la ganache au chocolat noir ou blanc.

Idées de présentation:
Servir les tartelettes froides avec de la crème fouettée et un bon café, un café glacé ou un verre de lait froid.

Chocolate Tartlets Picnik collage 6 bis

94 comments:

  1. Quelles jolies tartelettes! Elles sont vraiment dans mes goûts! Chocolat et pistaches, c'est une combinaison gagnante. Bonne journée Rosa! Caro

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  2. These tartlets look amazing and the recipe sounds gorgeous! Must bake them somewhen soon.

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  3. I was just relishing the chocolate and pistachio tart.

    They look fab, I can literally feel the taste :P

    Chocolate and pistachios - a fabulous and utterly delicious combination.

    Cheers

    Abhilasha

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  4. Great review Rosa and both desserts sound amazing, especially the tartlets.

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  5. I know what I'll be making for my birthday next month, though I would certainly replace pistachios by hazelnuts as I'm not a big fan of the green nut :)

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  6. Voilà une excellente façon d'entamer le weekend Rosa!
    Bises et bon repos.

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  7. I can definitely relate to that Rosa. Bookmarking good recipes, and the challenge to find a time to make it. Hmm, can't resist but, bookmarking this post as well. Looks and sounds divine indeed.

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  8. Magnifiques et gourmandes tartelettes..Un WE qui commence en beauté et gourmandise.
    Bisous

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  9. Oh my, ur chocolate tartlets are to die for!!!

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  10. Bravo, lovely chocolate and pistachios tarts, so special and welcoming.
    Amazing clicks too.
    Wishing you a great weekend ♥

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  11. Une tarte extrêmement chocolatée, exactement comme j'aime.

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  12. Hmm..sounds like a nice book to own..both the dessert looks divine indeed! Thanks for sharing!
    Have a nice weekend!

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  13. This is a chocolate lovers dream tart!

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  14. What a gorgeous chocolate tart. It could be featured in the window of any French patisserie. Tres jolie.
    Sam

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  15. Yummy tartlets. Beautiful clicks.

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  16. Le trio chocolat pâte brisée, génoise et ganache me plaît beaucoup ! J'imprime ta recette :) merci
    Bises

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  17. Your tarts look wonderful, Rosa! And that book looks simply gorgeous.

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  18. what lovely recipe Rosa and what lovely book, love it, look delicious, and the pictures georgeous, have a nice weekend, bizz gloria

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  19. this is great rosa,to die for,indeed!:)
    p.s.:my name before I married was popovici!

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  20. The Tartlets looks so Delicious and so yummy! and the clicks were perfect. Beautiful recipe.

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  21. Oh dear. I must have this book. It's lovely. thank you so much for the wonderful review!

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  22. Beautiful! I love chocolate and pistachios together, perfect combination.

    Thanks for the review, I didn't know this book.

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  23. I bet those WERE time-consuming to make. But how beautiful they are. Well worth the effort.

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  24. Your tartlets are stunning! Love your photo of the bud and thorns. Beautiful!

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  25. Wonderful and sumptuous chocolate tarts. Just love the way you presented your idea...great !

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  26. Outstanding! have never seen a cake inside a tart before! Must try this!Chocolate tarts are awesome! I always had thought chocolate had no business being in a tart until I tried one.

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  27. Justement, je me suis acheté ce bouquin la semaine dernière et c'est vrai qu'il est rempli de belles et bonnes choses. Ces tartelettes ont l'air absolument excellentes. Trop hâte d'essayer!

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  28. Such lovely tarts! Love the combination of chocolate & pistachios!

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  29. This is my sister's favorite tart!

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  30. Das sind hübsche Schokoladetörtchen die ich in die Warteliste stelle. Im Moment koche ich nicht süss.

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  31. pistachios are so underused, which is sad because the flavor and color that they lend to a dish are magnificent!

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  32. So there's chocolate génoise trapped within chocolate pastry walls. This dessert couldn't possibly get any more decadent!
    Beautiful to look at, and no doubt, even better to eat!

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  33. They look like such a perfect treat, simply delicious Rosa!

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  34. Those chocolate tartelettes look adorable. Have a nice Weekend!

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  35. I need to show this to ma maman, elle adorerait! superbes photos, Rosa.

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  36. Excellent choice Rosa!!!! This cookbook sounds amazing!

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  37. The cookbook sounds a keeper. Love your interpretation of this awesome chocolate ganache pie. I have never had a pie like this...I meant with a genoise in-between crust and topping. Very special.

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  38. Great that you got to review the cookbook and try out some recipes. Chocolate and pistachio are two of my favourite things but I've never tried them together. Your creations always turn out so perfect, I'm jealous.

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  39. OMG! This tartelette looks fabulous. Love the recipe for chocolate shortbread crust. I'm always cutting corners, but I 'must' try this.. Pistachios go so well with chocolate, too. Yum!

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  40. Rosa, you're chocolate tartlette especially looks fantastic!

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  41. Haaan ! Ces petites tartelettes ont juste l'air à tomber par terre :D LE mélange choco et pistache m'a l'air d'être un pur délice !!
    Au fait, même si tu as encore deux mois, tu pourras me dire la taille du bloc de fromage marron que tu veux et aussi si tu veux le petit ustensile qu'ils utilisent ici pour faire des lamelles ? A tout bientôt !!

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  42. I have a weakness for cookbooks too! This beautiful chocolate tartlet reminds me of what I saw in the windows of Parisian pastry shops! Delightful!

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  43. Those look absolutely Perfect, loved the pistachios on top:)

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  44. Wonderful book and gorgeous tartlets!

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  45. You picks a great cook book,.. great choice,.. :)

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  46. Ces tartelettes sont magnifiques, digne de la Maison du Chocolat à Paris!

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  47. chocolat pour la pâte, pour la génoise et encore pour la ganache !!! c'est comme cela que l'on aime le chocolat chez nous !!! tout chocolat...pourquoi on a tous envie de chocolat en ce moment ? en tous cas ta recette me plaît beaucoup...je note...

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  48. What a great review. Now that my girls like to bake I'm always on the look out for great dessert books. You not only gave a thorough review you discussed why you enjoyed the book! I'm not looking for the most outlandish baked goods from unworkable recipes, this sounds like very doable and delicious sweets that will come out without too much crying in the kitchen. Thank you

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  49. Ces petites tartelettes sont merveilleusement gourmandes, devant tes belles photos on ne peut que craquer !!! Bonne semaine, bises

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  50. ooo! what better way to welcome spring with a tart :) love the last photo on the left

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  51. well, as usual the recipe sounds beyond me, but I love enjoying the beautiful photos and the descriptions are just pure torture!

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  52. ce qu'elles me donnent envie ces tartelettes pleines de chocolat

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  53. The tartlets look amazing Rosa!

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  54. Now I need to bookmark this delicious post, and also keep my eye out for this book, too!

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  55. Me gustan tus recetas, pero es que tus fotos: ME ENCANTAN!!!
    Mglòria

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  56. Ton billet me donne 2 envies d'aller demain voir en librairie ce livre dont tu cites des gâteaux qui me donnent envie, et d'essayer rapidement cette tartelette qui me semble super gourmande.
    Bises

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  57. Rosa your words meant so much to me, I just wanted to really thank you.. hard to believe what is going on around me here in Japan, as always, you photos are so beautiful to look at.

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  58. It is interesting to see la génoise in this recipe..Phtos? Amazing!!

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  59. Je suis très admiratives de ta tarte! J'adore le chocolat avec des noix..

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  60. Chocolate and pistachios - lovely combo. Just as good as chocolate and hazelnuts :)

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  61. Très réussies ces tartelettes au chocolat. Je note le nom de cet ouvrage.

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  62. Any recipe with ganache and genoise is gonna perk up interest...a lovely tart!

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  63. Oh, Rosa, there you've gone and done it! Just when I told myself that I did NOT need yet another cookbook you've made me want to dash over to FNAC and pick this one up now! Looks and sounds like it could be my dream dessert cookbook. And those chocolate tartlets... oooh I've been thinking about something like this. A book review that makes me really want this book. And one tartlet. Just one. Please?

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  64. Sounds like a fun book to bake through, and you make a couple of great choices to begin! The chocolate tart with pistachios looks fantastic.

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  65. Those tartlets are "to die for"...
    Irresistiblly tempting:)

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  66. Cette tarte tout choco m'a l'air toute droite sortie d'une vitrine de boulangerie! Et l'addition de pistaches ne gache rien du tout. Bravo!

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  67. Isidor sounds like a gem as do her treats. Thanks for sharing her & this delightful recipe with us :) xo

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  68. These look so amazing! I so wish I could try one :)


    US Masala

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  69. Cela semble être un livre magnifique. Je ne sais pas si on peut le trouver au Canada.

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  70. I'm ready with my fork - that is one delectable tart. I didn't know that King Arthur Flour had a cookbook out - I love all their products.

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  71. Rosa I love anything with chocolate and pistachios! Love the photos, that cookbook looks like something I would like.

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  72. Simply mindblowing Rosa..cnt help droolin...fab clicks..:)

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  73. What an excellent book, and what a gorgeous post. Love love love the tart, the genoise within and the topping. LUXURIANT! Your pictures are beautiful as ever Rosa. I would LOVE to own that book.

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  74. Elles ont l'air fabuleuses, et tes photos... ensorcelantes!

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  75. a perfect chocolate tart, perfect for eater, great review!!

    sweetlife

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  76. I'm going to make this tonight. It looks wonderful!

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  77. Simply elegant and drool worthy!

    Love it!

    xo

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  78. All the recipes you've described sound really creative and delicious. The tart looks amazing!

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  79. La tartelette a l'air delicieuse! J'en voudrais quelqu'uns maintenant.

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  80. Une vraie merveille ces tartelettes!!
    Elles sont magnifiques et très gourmandes!

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  81. wow this looks wonderful and so delicious!

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  82. Those tartlettes are so beautiful! The pistachios just "pop" on the chocolate background!

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  83. Rosa, after having read your rave review and experiment with this book, you've now convinced me to put Isadora's English Popina Book of Baking on my wish list.

    She's fortunate to have you as her talented and dedicated 'Foodie' tester and photographer extraordinaire ;o)

    This tart is going into my repertoire of goodies to try for sure.

    Have a great day my dear friend.

    Ciao, Claudia

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  84. Green and brown are so nice together. Pistachios and chocolate are a perfect pair for that reason. Visually and taste-wise, they just work.

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  85. tes tartelettes sont très gourmandes et superbes !!!

    bonne soirée gourmande

    virginie

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  86. i feel really strongly about pistachios--it saddens me that they're not used more often! great tartlets, rosa. :)

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  87. Quel dessert magnifique! j'adore ces tartalettes.

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  88. J'ai toujours un peu de mal avec l'anglais mais c'est sublime.

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  89. Oh my god, decadence at it's best, and with pistachios (my fav eating and baking nut(. I'm in lust and your photos aren't helping stop the increasing intensity of that lust lol Beautiful!

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  90. oh Rosa, this looks amazing, tantalizing and delicious! lovely and great flavor combos.

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  91. Rosa tes photos me mettent toujours l'eau à la bouche, j'aimerai tant y goutter! miammmmmm, ton blog est toujours aussi magnifique!

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  92. Vraiment irrésistibles ces tartelettes.

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  93. Oh how I wish I could dare to make this, but I seriously doubt my fine baking skills:-( I want these and now i am sad.

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