Here I am again with another chocolate treat as my subject. I just couldn’t resist. I had a sleepover with my best friend’s little girl last night and, knowing full well how much that little munchkin loves chocolate, I wanted to surprise her. Coincidentally, my new issue of Bon Appetit magazine arrived earlier in the week and there is an entire section dedicated to mouth-watering chocolate creations. The fact that this particular recipe is called Chocolate-on-Chocolate Tart caught my eye first. And you can bet that it caught Cynthia’s eye when she first walked in the door.
Aside from the tart, I also made a fantastic and filling dinner of chicken, biscuits (homemade!), mashed potatoes and sautéed kale. My boyfriend was out of town for work so it was just us ladies for dinner. We set the table, lit some candles and caught up on who Cynthia has a crush on and how well she did on her last report card. I sincerely cherish these moments together. She is growing up so fast and I’ve been with her since she was a newborn. I want her to stay young forever. After finishing her dinner she slowly looked over at the tart, slowly looked back at me and said in the saddest little voice, “I’m too full for dessert. I need to let my food digest.” Haha. I have never seen this little one too full for dessert before. She must have been really stuffed.
She did her homework at the counter while I cleaned up the kitchen and washed the dishes. When she was done with the daunting task of writing about her favorite month of the year, she put her pencil down and gave me the greediest little grin. She was ready for chocolate! I sliced us up a couple of pieces, poured two glasses of milk and we both dug in. There is nothing better than watching those you love enjoy something that you’ve made for them. I could see in her bright blue eyes that she had found a moment of true bliss. She chose to enjoy her tart by eating all of the creamy filling first and then eating the crust like a piece of pizza. It’s not an overly sweet dessert, having very little sugar in the crust and none in the filling. That’s one thing I love about this kid. She truly loves good chocolate, dark chocolate. I would make her a tart every day if it meant seeing happiness like that on her angelic face.
The recipe recommends serving this tart at room temperature. We ate it at room temp last night and I had a small piece today straight from the fridge. I actually liked the texture of the filling and the firmness of the crust when it was chilled. I found the filling to be almost too silky last night to where it merely tasted like melted chocolate. When it’s chilled, the taste of the filling is a little more nuanced. You get hints of the honey and salt. Cynthia removed the maple almonds before eating hers but I quite enjoy the crunch and texture against the velvety filling myself. It is quite a decadent chocolate delight so a little slice goes a long way.
CHOCOLATE-ON-CHOCOLATE TART WITH MAPLE ALMONDS
CRUST
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- ½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 large egg yolk
MAPLE ALMONDS
- ½ cup raw almonds
- ½ cup maple sugar or (packed) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
FILLING AND ASSEMBLY
- 10 oz. bittersweet chocolate (at least 70% cacao), chopped
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
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A 9”-diameter tart pan with removable bottom
CRUST
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Pulse cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and 1¼ cups flour in a food processor to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Beat egg yolk and 3 Tbsp. ice water in a small bowl; add to flour mixture and pulse until dough just comes together. Form into a ¾”-thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
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Preheat oven to 350°. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12” round. Transfer to tart pan; lift up edges and let dough slump down into pan, then gently press into edge of pan. Trim dough, leaving about a 1” overhang. Fold in overhang; press to adhere. Prick bottom with a fork. Chill in freezer 15 minutes.
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Line pie with parchment paper or heavy-duty foil, leaving a 1½” overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crust is dry around the edges, about 30 minutes. Remove parchment and weights and bake until crust is firm and looks dry all over, 5–10 minutes longer. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let crust cool.
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DO AHEAD: Dough can be made 2 days ahead; keep chilled. Crust can be baked 1 day ahead; store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
MAPLE ALMONDS
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Preheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, stirring occasionally, until slightly darkened, 6–8 minutes. Let cool.
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Bring almonds, maple sugar, maple syrup, salt, and ¼ cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and cook, stirring often, until mixture turns mahogany, about 5 minutes.
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Remove pot from heat and stir vigorously until almonds are coated with crystallized sugar (they will look sandy). Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet; let cool, then coarsely chop.
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DO AHEAD: Nuts can be candied 2 weeks ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
FILLING AND ASSEMBLY
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Combine chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl. Bring cream, honey, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan, whisking to dissolve honey. Pour cream mixture over chocolate mixture; let stand 2 minutes. Whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Pour filling into crust and chill until set, at least 4 hours.
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Top tart with maple almonds just before serving.
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DO AHEAD: Tart can be made 2 days ahead; cover and keep chilled. Bring to room temperature before serving.