Lemon Chocolate Tarts

Yields 8 tartlets

Ingredients:

Dough
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup almond meal or ground almonds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
Filling4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups lemon curd  (Meyer Lemon Curd)

How to Make:

In a food processor, blend the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and process until well mixed. Add in the almond meal, salt, vanilla extract, and egg and process again. Scrape around the bowl if necessary. Add the flour and pulse just until the dough forms a ball. The dough will be the consistency of very soft and sticky cookie dough.
Remove the dough from the bowl, shape into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Chill in refrigerator for 4
hours or overnight to firm up the dough.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

When chilled until firm, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8-inch thick (you may have to wait a few minutes for the dough to soften). Cut out rounds of dough to fit the tartlet pans (alternatively, if you are making a large, single tart, roll out the dough and cut a large circle to fit the tart pan). Press the dough carefully into the pans; be careful not the stretch the dough! Stab the bottom several times with a fork so the dough will not rise in the oven.
Bake the tart shells for 15-18 minutes, or until they are lightly colored and the shell feels dry to the touch. Let cool completely before filling.

Place chocolate in a bowl. Set aside.
Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour over the chocolate and let sit for a few minutes before stirring until the ganache is smooth.

To Assemble
Spread the chocolate into a thin layer into the bottom of the tart shells. Spoon the lemon curd on top of the chocolate, filling the tart shell until the curd reaches the top. Refrigerate an hour before serving (this is an ideal time; if you can't wait that long, it will all be okay. I promise).

Store the tart in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

C.T.