Peppermint and Chocolate Tart

I think people are divided when it comes to peppermint flavour. Some love it, some would never opt for it and there are others like me who won’t mind when it is paired with chocolate. Tell you a secret? This peppermint and dark chocolate tart is actually a double chocolate tart in disguise with the base being white chocolate and the roses made of chocolate fudge buttercream. So if you are a true chocolate lover (and may not love peppermint) you will love this tart.

The peppermint filling in this tart is just melt, pour and set. The tart base is store bought. You could of course bake your own using this recipe. These tart bases are inexpensive and I usually store a few in my pantry for days when I’m visiting a friend or am invited to an occasion and expected to take dessert (almost always). Then I can skip the baking part and just play around with the fillings.
The chocolate buttercream is enough to cover up the entire tart. If you’re going to use it to only pipe a border like me, you could halve the recipe or use the leftover buttercream to frost cupcakes. It is absolutely delicious!

If you’d like to skip the roses, you could go that way too. Instead generous shavings of dark chocolate will work equally well.

Peppermint and Chocolate Tart
Makes a 6 inch round tart

One 6 inch tart base (home made or store bought)
100 ml heavy cream
225 g white chocolate melts
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
1-2 drops mint green food color
sprinkles (optional)

Chocolate roses
120 gms unsweetened dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup (150 gms) unsalted butter, room temperature
11/3 cups (160 gms) icing sugar sifted
11/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

To make the peppermint filling Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over low heat until it just comes to a a boil (do not boil). Remove from heat and add the chopped white chocolate. Leave aside for 5-10 minutes until chocolate melts. Stir with a spoon to make a smooth mix. Add the butter, peppermint extract and food colour and mix to blend.

Pour the mixture into the tart base. Refrigerate until set (about 4-5 hours, preferable overnight). Once set, using a piping bag and 1M nozzle, fill up with chocolate buttercream and pipe rosettes around the edge of the tart. Decorate with sprinkles.

To make the chocolate roses Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water.( Or you could use the microwave and melt in short bursts of 10 seconds) Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy(about 1 min). Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy(about 2 min). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until buttercream is smooth and glossy (about 2-3 min)