How to Use this Blog

This blog is designed to be used like a cookbook. I've put tags on each recipe so you can go to the section on that topic just by clicking on the word in the cloud or the list. Some recipes are under more than one category to help you find what you're looking for.

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Chocolate Tart

 This is so rich that I cut it into much smaller slices than this calls for. Serve it with whipped cream on the side. 

Ina Garten’s Dark Chocolate Tart

This is inspired by a recipe in Erin French’s cookbook The Lost Kitchen.

  • For the crust:
  • 1 (9-ounce) box Nabisco chocolate wafers….if you can’t find this, take 24 or 25 Oreo cookies and separate them, discard the filling and use both halves of the cookie.
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • For the filling:
  • 1 cup bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (6½ ounces) (see note)
  • 1¼ cups heavy cream
  • 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • For the glaze:
  • ½ cup bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (3 ounces)
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon coffee granules
  • ½ teaspoon flaked sea salt, such as Maldon....*I use Kosher salt and it works.  I don't have any kind of specialty stores out here in the country.  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  It really does help if you make this in a springform pan. I made it once in a pie pan and it worked but it wasn't nearly as impressive.

Place the chocolate wafers and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until finely ground. Pour the mixture into a bowl, add the butter, and mix until well incorporated. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Place on a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, for the filing, place the 1 cup of chocolate in a medium glass bowl. Heat the cream until it just comes to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate, allow it to sit for 1 minute, then stir gently with a whisk until smooth (see note). Stir the eggs and vanilla into the chocolate until smooth and pour into the tart shell. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the chocolate is set on the edges but still jiggly in the middle. Set aside to cool.  

Jane's note:  she is serious about the "jiggly in the middle and set on the edges".  The jiggly-ness will set in about two-five minutes.  Don't fear the jiggly.  It's OK.  Go with the jiggly.

For the glaze, put the ½ cup chocolate and the coffee in a glass bowl. Heat the cream to simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Gently pour over the chocolate filling (not the crust) and spread to the inside edge of the crust with a knife or offset spatula. Sprinkle with the salt and set aside at room temperature until set. Remove the rim of the tart pan and place the tart on a flat serving plate. Cut in wedges (don’t worry if the crust crumbles) and serve at room temperature.