day 6 … Fudge Tarts

For a cookie assortment, you need a few special ones to make it look like you put in a lot of effort, to make it look like you’re punching above your weight. This is that cookie. The secret? It’s really not that hard at all. Sssshhhhh. 

First off you need a mini muffin pan. You know, the pan you haven’t used in at least a year. Maybe more. Yeah, that one. The base dough might be a little dry so mix in a little water to make it nice and moist then roll and cut into circles just a bit bigger than the muffin tin openings and ease, ever so carefully into the tin indents. Press into the corners and edges and chill – or freeze – until firm. Then you bake. That’s it for the pastry shell, deceptively simple, and the rich chocolate filling is just as easy. Where the artistry comes in is in the decorating. Get creative. A bit of candied citrus, a pinch of toasted nuts, a curlicue of a coconut flake, some glittery holiday sprinkles. Even just a pinch of simple flaky salt elevates these tarts to the extra fancy realm. Then sit back and watch them disappear with a smile. Because no one needs to know.

36 One Dough/Many Cookies from years past:

Fruity: Jam Thumbprints, Jam Streusel Tarts, Raspberry Linzer Squares, Lemon Poppyseed Buttons, Orange Sesame Crisps, Cranberry Pistachio Coins, Almond Raspberry Strips, Orange Sandwich Cookies, Apricot Rosemary Shortbread, Coconut Lime Sticks, Bourbon Glazed Fruitcake Buttons, Lemon Cornmeal Biscotti, Blueberry Lime Buttons, Date Swirls

Nutty: Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Pecan Tassies, Maple Black Walnut Cookies, PB&J Sandwich Cookies, Pecan Triangles, 

Spiced: Cinnamon Sugar Pinwheels, Candied Ginger Spice Buttons, Cardamom Rose Coins, Brown Sugar Wafers with Lemon Lavender Glaze

Chocolate: Mexican Chocolate Crinkles, Chocolate Cocoa Nib Wafers, Raspberry Chocolate Drops, Chocolate Hazelnut Buttons, Dark Mocha Sandwich Cookies, Espresso Crinkles, 

Bars: Rum Butter Bars, Peppermint Brownie Bars, Banana Walnut Bars

Holiday Classics: Cream Cheese Wreaths, Classic Molasses Cookies, Peppermint Candy Canes

2020 12 Days of Cookies line up to date:

Basic Chocolate Butter Cookie Dough

Day 1: Cranberry Cocoa Nib Wafers

Day 2: Chocolate Banana Petit Four

Day 3: Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies

Day 4: Andes Mint Chip Cookies

Day 5: Chocolate Lebkuchen

DAY 6: FUDGE TARTS

Start with the base chocolate dough – recipe here. I used a black cocoa here, mixed 60/40 with a dutch cocoa (60 black/40 dutch). I like the black for color but find the flavor is best when blended with some dutch cocoa.

1. For the tarts: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dough and water until nice and soft.
2. Between two pieces of lightly floured piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap, roll out the room temperature dough to 1/8” thickness. 
3. Chill for 15 minutes to firm up a bit (it will cut cleaner and transfer easier.)
4. Using a 2 ¼” round cutter (or whatever size works best for your tin), cut out rounds, rerolling the scraps as necessary. 
5. Gently press 1 pastry round into each mini muffin tin cavity. Gently ease the dough in starting with the sides. If the dough cracks/breaks, simply patch up with a bit of extra dough, pressing into place.
6. Refrigerate until well chilled and firm, about 30 minutes. (If you have the space you can freeze the pans, well wrapped, for up to 2 months.)
7. Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower third of the oven.
8. Bake 10 minutes until the pastry shells are somewhat firm to the touch. (It’s tough to judge when done is actually done due to the cocoa powder so trust your touch – when they’re ready they will still seem just a touch too soft but the edges will be set and the bottoms firm.) Halfway through baking rotate the pans and gently push down any tart bottoms that have puffed up. 
9. Let cool completely. 
10. For the ganache filling: In a medium bowl, add the chopped chocolate and set aside for a moment. 
11. In a small saucepan, bring the cream and corn syrup to a boil.
12. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, give the bowl a swirl or two to fully submerge the chocolate and immediately cover tightly with a piece of plastic wrap. Let sit for 5 minutes, swirling the bowl once or twice.
13. Remove the plastic and begin stirring with a rubber spatula until the ganache is smooth and the chocolate is fully melted. If the chocolate is not fully melted, pop in the microwave for 30 second increments at 50% power as needed.
14. Stir in the bourbon (or vanilla) and salt.
15. Transfer to a piping bag (or a Ziploc) snip off the tip and fill the baked cooled tart shells.
16. Garnish if you like – a bit of candied orange, a nut, an edible flower or piece of dried fruit.
17. Make ahead: You can fit the dough into the muffin tins and freeze them, tightly wrapped, for up to two months. Or you can roll and cut the rounds and freeze between pieces of parchment paper until needed. Let the round defrost until pliable before continuing. The ganache can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month but needs to come to room temperature to pipe though it really works best – and looks the best – if freshly made.

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