Classic Chocolate Tart

I can't believe I made this! It looks like something I'd buy from a bakery or be served in a restaurant, not something I could actually create, from scratch, in my own kitchen! But this recipe taught me a number of things.

First, I will never buy a frozen pie crust again. Baking a crust isn't hard at all!

Second, buying "pie weights" is totally unnecessary. I knew I would have some adequate substitute in my kitchen, and, not surprisingly, I did. I used uncooked brown rice, but I know (from the Food Network) that you could also use dried beans. Either way, just let them cool down afterwards, and those are your homemade "pie weights" from now on. Excellent!

Third, I blended the dough for the crust in my food processor, and it was perfect. How much easier can you get? I just stuck the butter, flour, sugar, salt, egg, and water inside the mixer, and two minutes later it was blended into a solid ball of dough. This definitely my mixing method-of-choice from now on!

Anyway, without further adieu, the recipe! But first, here's how the crust looked before baking. Yum!

Classic Chocolate Tart

INGREDIENTS:

For crust:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

1 large egg

2 tbsp water

For filling:

1/2 cup light cream

1/2 cup milk

8 ounces chocolate chips (about 2/3 of one 11.5 oz bag)

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 full egg, plus one egg yolk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place flour, sugar, salt, butter, one egg, and water in a food processor. Pulse until blended into one large ball of dough.

3. Roll dough out on a floured surface, into an approximately 12" circle. Roll the dough up onto the pin and lay it on top of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

4. Press the dough into the pan so it fits into all the edges, particularly on the sides of the tart pan. Trim the excess dough from the edges of the pan.

5. Refrigerate the tart dough for 10 minutes.

6. Remove the tart from the refridgerator, and line the inside of the tart with aluminum foil. Place pie weights (or dried beans, or rice) in the foil.

7. Bake for 30 minutes (the tart is easier to bake if you place the tart shell on a cookie sheet).

8. Remove the tart from the oven and remove the foil and pie weights. Return to the oven and continue to bake for another 3-5 minutes, or until the tart's edges are is golden, but not browned. Place on a counter or table to cool the tart shell.

9. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

10. In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and milk to a scald, but not a boil, over low heat.

11. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips. Whisk until blended.

12. Whisk in the sugar and salt until blended. Whisk in one full egg and one additional egg yolk, until blended.

13. Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell and bake 25 minutes, or until the filling is set but still wobbly. Allow to cool, and serve.

Serves 8.