Chocolate Glazed Chocolate Tart

Easter Sunday we had a few friends over for dinner.  They were bringing the ham and we were in charge of everything else.  So of course I went a little overboard and planned out a variety of different sides and appetizers.  And then I got to dessert and was a little stumped.  I knew that one of our guests loves flan, but Alex isn't a big fan of flan.  I also knew that she hates peanut butter and loves chocolate flourless cakes and molten chocolate cakes.  So I decided that chocolate was probably the safest option.  After consulting a few different cookbooks and a few different websites, this tart was what I chose.  It has several steps, but it's pretty easy overall and it looks impressive.  This is the type of dessert that you totally need in your repertoire for potlucks and dinner parties because you can make it entirely in advance (which is great when you're running around like a chicken with your head cut off trying to get the food on the table) plus it's really good.  My other favorite dinner party dessert is a Cranberry-Orange Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust (recipe below).  Like the tart, the cheesecake needs to be made entirely in advance.  I think the cheesecake is fabulous around the holidays, but I would make this tart year-round. 

The chocolate here is deep and very rich.  The texture of the filling is very luscious, balanced out with the crispy crust.  It all just seems very luxurious.  I might try adding a small pinch of espresso powder to the filling or perhaps a bit of orange liquor just to play with the flavors a little, but overall I'm not sure this tart can be improved.  I would definitely serve it with some fresh berries (we used raspberries, but strawberries would probably work too) and if you're feeling really ambitious you could also make some homemade whipped cream to go with it. 

Recipes after the jump!

Chocolate Glazed Chocolate Tart

Gourmet

September 2008

INGREDIENTS:

For crust:

9 (5- by 2 1/4-inch) chocolate graham crackers (not chocolate-covered), finely ground (1 cup)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

For filling:

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not more than 65% cacao if marked), chopped

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

For glaze:

2 tablespoon heavy cream

1 3/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1 tablespoon warm water

Equipment:

a 9-inch round fluted tart pan (1 inch deep)

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Stir together all ingredients and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 inch up side of tart pan. Bake until firm, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack 15 to 20 minutes

Bring cream to a boil, then pour over chocolate in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Whisk together eggs, vanilla, and salt in another bowl, then stir into melted chocolate.

Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set about 3 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as tart cools.) Cool completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour.

Bring cream to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate until smooth. Stir in corn syrup, then warm water.  Pour glaze onto tart, then tilt and rotate tart so glaze coats top evenly. Let stand until glaze is set, about 1 hour.

Serve with fresh raspberries.

Cranberry-Orange Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust

Bon Appetit

December 2002

INGREDIENTS:
For crust
1 9-ounce box chocolate wafer cookies, broken
2 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For filling
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For topping
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
2 cups fresh cranberries 

1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

Equipment:

9-inch-diameter springform pan

Preheat oven to 325°F. Finely grind cookies and chocolate in processor. Add butter; blend until moist clumps form. Using plastic wrap as aid, press crumb mixture onto bottom and 1 1/4 inches up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.

Increase oven temperature to 350°F. Wrap 2 layers of heavy-duty foil around bottom and up sides of springform pan. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until light. Beat in flour. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, just until blended. Beat in orange peel and vanilla.
 

Pour filling into crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Fill roasting pan with enough hot water to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until filling is just set in center but still moves slightly, about 55 minutes. Remove cake from water bath; transfer to rack and cool completely, about 4 hours. Cover and chill overnight.

Stir sugar and water in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium; add cornstarch mixture and bring to simmer. Add cranberries; cook until beginning to pop, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Stir in orange peel. Cool completely. Cover and chill overnight. (Cheesecake and cranberry mixture can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
 

Run knife around top edge of cheesecake to loosen. Release pan sides. Top cheesecake with cranberry mixture. Chill until set, about 1 hour.