Black Forest Tartlets

Black Forest Tartlets
Cocoa short dough
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Chocolate Ganache
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 ounces dark chocolate
Filling
3/4 cup cherry preserves or cherry pie filling
48 almond slices, lightly toasted
For the dough: Place the sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Mix on low speed using the paddle, just until the ingredients are combined.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour with the cocoa powder; add to the dough and mix only until smooth.
Place the dough on a sheet pan lined with parchment; press the dough flat. Cover and refrigerate 10-20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lightly butter two tartlet pans, each with a dozen tartlet cups. Alternatively, you could use muffin tins. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand a few minutes or work it briefly with the hands to make it pliable. Roll out the dough on a floured surface 1/4-inch thick. Cut dough in half. Lift half the dough by rolling it loosely around the rolling pin. Drape it over the tartlet pan. Let the dough settle into the tins. Run the rolling pin over the top of the tartlet pan to trim the edges. Using a small ball of scrap dough, press the pastry firmly into the shells. Prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork. Place in freezer for 5 minutes, or until firm. Bake 10 minutes or until shells are fully baked and lightly browned. Cool the shells completely.
For the ganache: Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a small saucepan, bring the cream just to a boil, stirring to prevent scorching. Add the chocolate. Remove from heat, stir, and let stand for a few minutes. Stir again until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool ganache to room temperature.
With a wire whip or the whip attachment of a mixer, whip the ganache until it is light, thick and creamy.
To assemble tartlets: Fill tartlet shells almost to the top with cherry filling. Pipe some ganache over the cherry filling in a design of your choice. (For piping, you can spoon ganache into a plastic storage bag and cut a small hole in one corner, then gently squeeze.) Place two almond slices on top.
Serves 24.
Nutrition values per serving: 173 calories, 10 g fat, 18 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein, 32 mg cholesterol, 6 mg sodium.