Since I've broken my resolution not to buy magazines or cookbooks....I had no trouble purchasing The Best of Cooking Light 9 magabook...or bookazine...looks like a magazine but it's heftier like a book. The picture on the cover made me pick it up to begin with - the Chocolate Raspberry Tart with White Chocolate Cream....it just looked like something I could and should make.
I quickly read over the recipe and it seemed simple enough and I had all of the ingredients on hand...all except the apple jelly so I substituted orange marmalade, sans the orange bits. Once I decided to make that substitution I realized all of my favorite flavors were in this tart - all but one - coconut - so I decided to add that, too.
I loved the crust - ground up bittersweet chocolate with chocolate graham crackers and cocoa....it would be a great crust with chocolate cream pie or even banana cream pie....once I got going on the recipe I didn't think the amount of white chocolate was enough (is any amount ever enough?) So instead of the 4 oz. the recipe called for I added the entire 10 oz. that I had....
Just look at those "action shots!" One more change....the amount of Cool Whip that the original recipe called for seemed like a lot....oh not really - it's just that I only had half of the Cool Whip that it called for so that's what I used - I figured by this point that with all of the changes I'd made it might not work so a little less Cool Whip wouldn't matter. 
With all of these changes it occurred to me that IF this tart worked I would have my own original recipe...and IF I knew of a certain contest that required desserts I could 
enter this recipe....knowing that the mister doesn't eat chocolate desserts (what does that tell you?) and me unable to eat them (diabetic) I would have to make up sample plates to deliver to friends so I could get a "verdict" on whether this would be "contest worthy" or not.....by this point I was praying it would work....hoping that the addition of more than twice the amount of chocolate wouldn't ruin the entire thing...and with the teensy slice that I tried...I think it worked great...but the jury is still out.
Chocolate Raspberry Tart With White Chocolate Cream - Adapted from The Best of Cooking Light 9
You will need a springform tart pan for this recipe, but do not remove the bottom of the springform pan when you go to serve it, just place it on top of your serving plate. Serves 12.
Crust:
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
6 chocolate graham cracker sheets
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
dash of salt
1 large egg white
cooking spray
Filling:
1 cup milk (obviously I changed the type of milk as Cooking Light called for fat-free milk - I prefer not to cook with blue water)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
10 oz. premium white baking chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup Cool Whip, thawed
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Topping:
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 teaspoon lemon juice
chocolate curls (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare crust, place first 5 ingredients in a food processor; process until fine crumbs form. Place 1 egg white in a small bowl, beat with a fork until frothy. Add 3 tablespoons beaten egg white through food chute with food processor on; process just until combined. Discard any remaining egg white. Press the crumb mixture into a 9-inch round removeble-bottom tart pan coated wtih cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare filling, combine milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, and egg yolks in a small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin evenly over milk mixture. Let stand 5 minutes. Do not have this over heat. After 5 minutes, cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until gelatin dissolves and mixture begins to thicken, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add white chocolate, stirring until chocolates melts and mixture is smooth. Scrape white chocolate mixture into a medium bowl. Place bowl in a larger ice-filled bowl until mixture cools and thickens (about 4 minutes), stirring constantly (do not allow gelatin mixture to set.) Gently stir 1/2 whipped topping into white chocolate mixture. Scrape into prepared crust using a rubber spatula, spread evenly to edge of crust. Sprinkle coconut on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
To prepare topping, place raspberries in a large bowl. Remove plastic wrap from tart pan, remove sides of tart pan. Heat orange marmalade in a small sauce pan until melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour marmalade through strainer into a small bowl, to remove bits of orange. Stir in the lemon juice. Drizzle marmalade mixture over raspberries, tossing gently to coat. Spoon raspberry mixture into the center of the tart, spreading out slightly. Refrigerate, uncovered, 15 minutes. Garnish with chocolate curls. Serve immediately.
As I said - the jury is still out - I delivered samples to two foodies and I'm anxiously awaiting their verdict. I thought it was good but then I'm biased and easily pleased - as soon as I hear from them I'll let you know.
