Triple Chocolate Tart

For whatever reason, when I hear the word tart I picture a dessert resembling a fruit pie. I’m not sure that I understand the technical distinction between tarts and pies, but I didn’t let that stand in my way when I saw the Chocolate Glazed Chocolate Tart recipe and it’s rave reviews over on epicurious! I bookmarked it for Mother’s Day and can happily say that this chocolate tart/pie/giant truffle was a rich and creamy, though fruitless, success.

And that’s despite my not having a tart pan and forgetting some of the water and corn syrup in the glaze! (It should actually be smooth like glass.) Check out the original recipe for all the gorgeousness it could have been, but check my adaptation below if you’d like a summary of the modifications made by the 150 gushing reviewers!

Supplies:
One 9-inch pan:
• pretty: cake pan
• prettier: springform pan
• prettiest: fluted tart pan

For crust:
1 1/4 cup chocolate animal crackers (or chocolate graham crackers, if you can find them!)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar, heaping (not so heaping if you use the graham crackers)

For filling:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

For glaze:
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 teaspoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons warm water

1. Use a food processor to finely grind chocolate crackers.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. If using a tart or springform pan, add a cookie sheet to a lower rack to catch any dripping butter.

3. Stir together all crust ingredients and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 inch up side of tart pan.

4. Bake until firm, about 8 minutes. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes.

5. To make filling, bring cream to a boil. Pour cream over chocolate in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes.

6. Gently stir until smooth.

7. Whisk together eggs, vanilla, and salt in another bowl, then stir into melted chocolate.

8. Pour filling into cooled crust.

9. Bake until filling is set about 3 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 25 to 35 minutes. (Center will continue to set as tart cools.)

10. Cool completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour.

11. Once cooled, make glaze: bring cream to a boil and remove from heat.

12. Stir in chocolate until smooth. Stir in corn syrup, then warm water.

13. Pour glaze onto tart, then tilt and rotate tart so glaze coats top evenly.

14. Let stand until glaze is set, about 1 hour.

15. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream and/or berries. Refrigerate leftovers (ha!).