These little tarts are filled with ganache, a rich, smooth mixture of melted chocolate

and cream. A dash of framboise, and clear brandy made from raspberries,

 imparts a refreshing fruit flavor to the ganache.

For the pastry:

3/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour

3 Tbs. cocoa powder

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Pinch of salt

1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into
3/4-inch pieces

1 egg yolk

Ice water, as needed

For the ganache:

4 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 Tbs. framboise or Chambord

2 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the raspberry whipped cream:

1 cup raspberry jam

1 Tbs. framboise or Chambord

1 cup heavy cream

12 fresh raspberries

To make the pastry, in a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, confectioners’ sugar and salt. Using your fingertips, a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse meal and no lumps remain. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 1⁄2 tsp. ice water. Add to the flour mixture and, using a fork, gently mix until evenly incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, pat into a ball and flatten into a disk. If the dough is too dry to form into a ball, add an additional 1 tsp. ice water. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour.

Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Place each ball between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and flatten to 1⁄8 inch thick. Press a piece of dough into the bottom and up the sides of a heart-shaped tartlet well, leaving a slight overhang. Be careful not to trap any air bubbles under the dough. If a bubble forms, prick it with a toothpick, gently press out the air and seal the hole with your finger. Trim the excess dough to 1⁄4 inch and roll it down into the pan to form an edge that is slightly thicker than the rest of the dough. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Bake until the tartlet shells look dry but not dark, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the shells to the rack and let cool completely. To make the ganache, place the chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream just to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the framboise. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and let stand for 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, slowly stir the mixture until smooth, then stir in the butter. Spoon the ganache into the center of the cooled shells, dividing evenly. Gently shake or tap the shells to smooth out the chocolate. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

To make the raspberry whipped cream, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the jam just until it begins to bubble and has thinned, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the framboise. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. You should have about 1⁄2 cup of raspberry sauce. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Stir in the raspberry sauce and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Fit a pastry bag with a small star tip. Using a spatula, fill the bag with the raspberry whipped cream. Pipe a rosette of whipped cream onto the center of each tartlet and garnish with a raspberry.

Refrigerate until ready to serve