Easter Menu (the sweet part) and TWD catch-up: Soft Chocolate and Raspberry Tart

Like on Christmas I opted for bringing the sweets for the Easter Brunch. (As in the meantime desserts became the only course I might manage to make not too bad, this was an easy decision for everybody involved. What is, like me and my mom.) And, contrary to Christmas, when I made the Christmas Muffins I found at Laws of the Kitchen , David Lebovitz' Roquefort Icecream with a Shiraz poached pear and  goat cheese custards - and forgot to picture them!!, this time I took pictures...

On the menu we had brioche because my mother made some wonderful fingerfood  that did perfectly match with the brioche: coloured and filled palatschinken, which are very common in Austria (they are comparable to pancakes or crèpes, and most typically filled with apricot jam, but millions of variations, sweet and savory, gratinée, rolled or flambée exist and I like them all!), and filled eggs (salmon, crabs, red caviar, egg salad, cream cheese). They were so good we even decided not to open the paté-jar. This time I made the brioche with the quantities recommended in Ginette Mathiots book (edited by the wonderful Clotilde Dusoulier of Chocolate&Zucchini), but according to Dorie's method.

For the really sweet part we had the chocolate berry tarte that was due for TWD three weeks ago (I opted for making half with blueberries and dark/milk chocolate and half with raspberries and white chocolate as seen here on Tia's great blog Buttercream Barbie). For the original recipe of the Soft Chocolate and Raspberry Tart, have a look at the book (p.354) or head over to Rachel's blog Mommy? I'm hungry! (what a nice name...)).
(in the picture: the little "test"-piece on which I used all the remaining berries, so the berry-chocolate relation is much more on the fruity-side than in the "main" piece)
And because all the easter eggs, chocolate bunnies and edible grass wasn't enough to accompany it, I brought some Crème Fraiche Icecream, partially marbled with berrie sauce, too. The recipe comes from David Lebovitz' Perfect Scoop, who I always trust when it comes to frozen desserts in any variation).



My mom and me, we are still no chefs, but we give our best, and I think the fingerfood my mother made is extremely good looking, so - I don't no what you think, but I definitely liked our Easter table!

 (Well, I still prefere taste over beauty, so ten minutes later this perfect picture was a mere mess. But a delightful one :o])

And for the TWD catch-up: I don't know what's wrong with me, but this tart is not an all-time favourite. I like berries. I like chocolate. I love tarts. But, first, as much as I love tarts, I am just physically unable to make a correct, good looking tart shell. Doesn't work . It's either too dark, or not completely baked trough. It's always, always too crumbly. I never arrive filling in the right amount - it's either getting too thick or too thin. Hmpf.

And secondly, I did not particularily like the consistence of the chocolate filling. I liked the little "test"-piece I made better, which was full of mixed berries and had only a little amount of  chocolate sauce. It's not that I completely disliked it. I am more like indifferent to it.

But as chocolate and berries are usually a winner, and tarts are wonderful, especially as the weather is getting better (I don't go for very rich cream cakes at any time of the year, but the warmer it gets the more I crave for slighter, lighter, more fruity sweets), I am sure I am the problem, and not the tart itself. 

Nevertheless, it feels good to be (almost) back on track with TWD and to have had a new possibility to practice tart-doughs. I  try to view it as a yoga position. Just work on it, no matter how long it takes - one day you will arrive at mastering it. Be it two weeks, or two years. Or two decades. And what is hardest for you, you have to work most on :o]