Chocolate Tart

Happy 2015 to all of you!

Let this new year begin with good thoughts, smart goals and Chocolate Tarts!

Staying true to my Indian roots, thought it was best to start the new year on a sweet note. And this Plain Jane Chocolate Tart was the perfect way to do that. Though a tad bit tricky, this Chocolate Tart recipe is a fail safe. I have inadvertently made this countless times, and boy –  is it amazing or is it amazing? The tart shell is buttery, flaky and delicious while the chocolate filling is smooth, sinful & has the perfect bite (courtesy caramel and a shot of coffee!) And of course, the compliments to the cook aren’t too bad either. 

Make this for a weekend dinner, for your family or loved ones. Because even though you might have embarked on a “Eat Healthy” resolution this year, you must have a cheat day. And if you really have to cheat, please cheat with this homemade deliciousness.

Starting off with the Tart Shell, you’ll need 

Preheat the oven to 210ºC (410ºF)

Add the salted butter, oil & water in an oven proof bowl. Stuff the bowl into a preheated oven for 15 min or so, until the butter gets bubbly & starts getting just a tad bit brown around the edges.

Be super careful here. This bowl WILL be magnificently hot. So wait a while till you take it out and wear heavy duty oven mittens, please!

Anyway, add the flour to this melted butter-oil-water mixture.

Stir in the flour quickly till it quickly comes together to form this buttery dough. Drop it onto your 9 inch tart pan.

Once cool enough, slowly pat this dough down. While removing a pea size amount of dough, use your palm, and use your fingers to to press the remaining dough onto the sides of the pan. Make sure its more or less all uniform in thickness. If any cracks in the shell emerge, use that reserve pea-sized dough to fill them in.

Finally, use a fork and prick holes uniformly all over the base. Maybe about 10 – 12 times. This prevents the shell to puff up!

Once done, line out some parchment paper and add some weight in the form of any kind of bean. This is just an added precaution from the pastry from puffing up!

Pop this entire thing into the preheated oven at 210ºC for 15 min, or until the shell is golden-brown.

Once out, let it cool.

Till then, we get working on the chocolate filling.

For the filling, you’ll need

Fill up a heavy bottom pan with the sugar. Spread the sugar evenly. Put it on medium heat. Its caramel making time!

Soon, the sugar will start to melt and caramelize. Don’t stir it. Just gently swivel the pan to make sure all the sugar melts evenly.

Once this caramel is ready, let it heat a tad bit more. Then lower the heat, and add in the coffee, safely. SAFELY. It WILL splutter.

The caramel will seize up due to the sudden change in temperature. But don’t worry. Get a hold of a wooden spatula, or any heat proof spatula and gently keep stirring the caramel and coffee together till smooth over low heat.

Add the salted butter, stir until it melts in. Then dump in the chocolate.

Let the chocolate melt in, and take the pan off the heat. Let it cool slightly. Look, at that glossy deliciousness!

Anyway, once slightly cool. Add in the eggs and the vanilla extract.

Stir, and add the sugar.

Finally, mix it in. This is our glorious chocolate filling.

By now, the tart shell would’ve cooled.

Pour the filling in the shell. Make sure it doesn’t go overboard!

Bake for 15-20 min, till you think the filling has set and is still a bit jiggly-wobbly-ish.

Take it out, and appreciate the beauty.

Let it cool, and gently remove it from the tart pan.

Place it on a plate, top it with whatever you like. Whipped cream, strawberries, more chocolate shavings!

Or, just let it be as is. And dig in your fork into this chocolate tart. The smooth, fudgy, rich chocolate filling with the coffee kick and the buttery, crispy shell will be perfection.

Yes, perfection is the word.

Let this tart help you have a sweet start to the year. Or week. Or every week!