Chocolate Tart

I love this dessert. It is simple, elegant and so delicious. My favorite way to make and eat it is with toasted and peeled hazelnuts scattered across the top and baked in.

Here is my version of the recipe, adapted from here.


Ingredients

Tart Shell Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (or use salted butter - which I do)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small chunks
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

Filling:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
  (or 1.5 cups half & half, or any combination of milks and cream equaling 1 and 1/2 cups)
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chips or chopped (I use Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips)
1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder or instant coffee*
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs

Directions

To make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and add the butter cubes while pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and the ice water through the chute, while pulsing until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Form the dough into a large flat disk by pressing it out with your fingers on a piece of plastic wrap. Try to make it about the size of your tart pan bottom, which will make rolling easier later. Put another piece of plastic on top and place in the freezer for 10 minutes, or until it is really cold and firm to the touch.

Roll out the pastry between the two sheets of plastic wrap, until it is a 12-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Peel off the top layer of plastic wrap and use the bottom layer of plastic to help you lift and place the dough inside a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (solid glass works too). Press the dough into the pan so it fits tightly; it might crack some but just push it together and make a seam. Make sure to get it all the way into the corners and into the scalloped edges - this is what gives it that cool 'tart' look (if you are using a pan w/removable bottom). Shave off the excess hanging dough with a knife. Poke the dough all over with a fork to help prevent bubbling. Put the tart in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, or in the freezer for 5 minutes if you are short on time (I usually am).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the tart pan on a cookie sheet so it will be easy to move in and out of the oven. Line the tart with aluminum foil or cheese cloth and add pie weights (or dried beans/rice) to make sure the tart keeps it's shape. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and weights. Return to the oven and continue to bake for another 8 minutes until the tart is golden in color, but not brown (it will be cooked again with the filling). It should be cooked but light in color so that it will not burn on the second bake. If you think you over cooked it, cover the edges with pieces of foil, so they don't burn in the second baking. Set aside until you have your filling completed. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

To make the filling (I usually do this while the pastry is baking): Heat the heavy cream/milk in a pot over medium-low flame, until it simmers slightly around the edges. Remove from the heat; add the chips/chopped chocolate and espresso powder and stir until melted and smoothed out. In another small bowl, mix the sugar and salt and whisk the eggs in until blended and the sugar is dissolved. Add a small amount (about 1/4 c, but don't bother measuring) of the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Repeat this again, this prevents the warm chocolate from cooking your eggs and giving you chocolate scrambled eggs. Add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture, stir until completely blended. Pour the filling into the tart shell and bake at 325 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is set and the surface is glossy (shake the tart, if the center jiggles like Jello, it is done, if the center sloshes or seems liquid, keep cooking). If you see any bubbles or cracks forming on the surface, take the tart out right away - that means it is beginning to become over baked. Cool before cutting.

I've made this recipe many times with many different shapes and sizes of tart pans, adjust baking times slightly for smaller tarts. Can easily be made ahead and refrigerated overnight, covered in plastic wrap.

Serve with lightly sweetened whip cream, top with fresh berries, chocolate shavings or just serve plain. Can also be served with toasted peeled nuts by dropping them in just before putting it into the oven. This way they bake in.

*Instant espresso powder or instant coffee does not add a coffee flavor, but simply makes the chocolate taste more chocolaty.