You’ll be asked to make this one again! It’s a simple but decadent chocolate dessert, just give yourself plenty of time and start the day before. Actual hands-on time is pretty quick.
You can make this gluten-free by using the basic recipe on Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free baking mix website for the crust, or use your favorite gluten-free mix. It is simple, and comes out really lovely. You can also use a nut-based crust, a regular flour and butter pastry tart shell, a chocolate cookie crust, or even one you purchase already made. Bake in a tart shell with removable bottom for the prettiest presentation.
If you like sweeter chocolate, use milk chocolate, or a combination of milk and dark chocolates.
This is the mint version; you can also use any dark chocolate bar you love. I’ve made this most often with Equal Exchange Lemon Ginger Pepper dark chocolate bar and it is outrageously wonderful! Or, think wonderful combination of orange and chocolate and decorate with candied orange peel.
1 baked 8-inch tart shell of your choice
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
1 tsp. instant espresso powder
Pinch of salt
¼ cup (one half stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
Mint glaze:
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
18 Andes mint chocolates or around 3 ounces other flavor chocolate, chopped
For the tart: preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place the chocolate in a stainless steel or glass bowl. In a small saucepan, warm the cream, espresso, and salt to a simmer. Gently pour the warmed cream mixture over the chocolate. Let it sit for a couple minutes so the chocolate will melt. Stir gently until it is all incorporated. Drop the butter into the mixture a pat at a time and let it melt.
Strain the eggs through a mesh strainer. This tart is smooth and silky so don’t skip this step. Add the strained eggs to the chocolate concoction and make sure everything is combined well.
Pour into the baked tart shell and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. When you take it out, it will still be loose looking in the middle when you jiggle it, but don’t worry, it will set. Cool, and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, make the mint glaze and top the tart:
Cut up the Andes chocolate and place in a glass bowl. Heat the cream to a simmer and stir in corn syrup. Pour over the chocolate. Let sit, and then mix gently as the chocolate melts. Pour this over the tart, directly in the middle. It will spread. Chill for another couple of hours. The glaze will set, but remain soft.
About a half hour before you are ready to serve, pop the tart out of the pan and place on a pretty plate. You can add a dollop of whipped cream, but this really needs nothing else. It is rich, so you can plan on this little baby serving 12 to 16!
