Deep Dark Chocolate (15 page)

Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream and 2 tablespoons of the marmalade until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let stand for 3 to 4 minutes, then whisk until the mixture is smooth. Evenly divide the chocolate mixture between the tart shells. Allow the tart filling to set at cool (60° to 70°F) room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving. To serve, add a dollop of the remaining marmalade in the center of each tart and garnish each tart with finely grated orange zest or candied orange peel, if desired.

Wednesday Wild’s Wintertime Chocolate-Caramel Tart

serves
8
makes
one 11-inch tart

HERE’S A TASTY TONGUE TWISTER: PORTLAND’S PALEY’S
Place pastry person Wednesday Wild welcomes wintry weather with this tempting tart.

To accompany the tart, Wednesday often serves an Earl Grey ice cream, with the signature flavor of citrus bergamot complementing the tart’s caramel-almond filling and dark chocolate ganache. Another charming choice would be CacaoNib Whipped Cream.

Crust

½ cup premium dark chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 cups finely ground chocolate-wafer cookie crumbs made from store-bought cookies

Filling

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1½ cups granulated sugar

½ cup water

1¼ cups heavy (whipping) cream, hot

6 ounces premium dark chocolate, chopped

¾ cup heavy (whipped) cream

Pinch of salt

Earl Grey Ice Cream, CacaoNib Whipped Cream, or lightly sweetened, softly whipped cream for serving

TO MAKE THE CRUST:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat an 11-inch tart pan with cooking spray. Place the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan and set in a wide pan or skillet of hot water. Set aside for 5 minutes, stirring 4 or 5 times, and let the chocolate melt completely.
Stir until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and chocolate mixture until well blended. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tart pan and press the mixture onto the sides and bottom of the pan. Bake until set, lightly toasted, and smelling of chocolate, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place a medium bowl in the freezer. In another medium bowl, whisk the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and salt until combined.

In a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Stir until the sugar dissolves, and let the mixture cook until it turns light caramel. Remove from the heat and slowly stir in the hot cream until blended. Watch out for spatters. Pour the caramel mixture into the bowl that has been chilling in the freezer. Add the almonds and continue to stir until the mixture cools. Slowly whisk the almond mixture into the egg mixture until blended. Pour the combined mixture into the prepared tart crust and bake until the filling bubbles slightly and the center is almost set, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

TO MAKE THE GANACHE:
Place the chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream and salt until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let stand for 3 to 4 minutes, then stir until the mixture is smooth. Spread the ganache over the cooled tart and refrigerate uncovered until the ganache is set, about 1 hour. Serve each chilled wedge with a small scoop of Earl Grey Ice Cream or whipped cream.

Earl Grey Ice Cream

makes
about 1
¹
/
₂
quarts ice cream

3 cups heavy (whipping) cream

3 premium Earl Grey tea bags such as Tazo, Taylors of Harrogate, or Twinings

Pinch of salt

8 large egg yolks, at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Pour the cream, half-and-half, tea bags, and salt into the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Heat until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and granulated and brown sugars until thick and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk ½ cup of the hot cream and Earl Grey mixture into the yolk mixture, then gradually whisk the yolk mixture into the double boiler. Cook over simmering water, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. To check for doneness, draw your finger through the custard on the back of the spoon; it should leave a trail. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing the tea bags to release any liquid. Discard the tea bags. (At this point, you could serve the custard as a sauce. Its flavor will deepen when chilled.) Cover the custard and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 3 days. Stir the mixture, then pour it into an ice-cream maker. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

A Little Chocolate Cheesecake With Mocha Affogato

serves
6 to 8
makes
one 7-inch cheesecake

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE IS ONE OF THOSE SPECIAL
desserts that usually come in two sizes: large and larger. I wanted a luscious cheesecake for everyday celebrations, just the right size to enjoy with a few friends. I think I’ve found it. To make it even richer, I’ve topped it with an affogato (literally “drowned” in Italian) which is basically just espresso poured over the cheesecake.

Crust

¾ cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling