Chocolate Ganache Tartlets

This week is my co-worker Kelly's birthday. Last week she mentioned she liked the Lemon Macaroon tarts that I made last year so I decided I would make her something similar but a little more special this time.

Macaroon tarlets are easy to make, but messy. The sticky tart dough is frustrating to work with, but in the end it looks great. Use cooking spray or oil on your hands to help with forming the cups. To make the tarts, I used my mini cupcake tin, rolled small dough balls and pressed them with the end of my marble pestle. It has a round tip that is the perfect size. Once you make the tarts, use your imagination and pick whatever filling you want: custard, pudding, fresh fruit, etc. I decided to go with Chocolate Ganache, topped with a dessert topping and almonds. It looks rather decadent, and worthy of Kelly's birthday.

Chocolate Ganache Tartlets

• 2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 egg whites

• 8 oz (225g) good quality bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
• whipped dessert topping
• sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease 24 mini muffin tins.

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups coconut, sugar, flour, vanilla and egg whites; stir well. Divide mixture evenly among the prepared mini muffin cups, pressing mixture into bottom and up sides of muffin cups (use cooking spray on hands to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands).

Bake in the preheated oven until until the coconut turns golden around the edges and is set in the center(roughly 10 minutes). Cool 2 minutes in the muffin tins on a wire rack. Remove from tins and cool completely on the rack.

Chocolate Ganache:
Place the chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until just under a boil. Pour over the chocolate and let stand about 5 minutes. Add the rum if you're using some and whisk to combine. Spoon the chocolate into the macaroon crusts. Let cool about 1 hour. Top with a healthy spoonful of whipped topping, sprinkle with sliced almonds.