HappyTummy              

I’m starting to think that cream pies and tarts are my new favorite thing to make. And the primary reason for that is how quickly they come together! This is the third time I’ve made a Dorie Greenspan recipe using a pastry cream (the first was her French Pear Tart; the second was her Banana Cream Pie), and I just love how easy they are.

Dorie’s Chocolate Cream Tart was, of course, delicious. As I did when I made Dorie’s Banana Cream Pie, I used her Sweet Tart Dough instead of the Chocolate Shortbread Tart Dough the recipe called for. I found that the Sweet Tart Dough cut down on the extreme chocolatiness, but the nutty flavor and shortbread-y texture of the crust more than made up for it!

I made the whipped topping, but instead of spreading all over the tart, I just put a dollop on each individual slice. I wanted the chocolate to really stand out, and by putting only a little bit of the whipped cream on top, it was perfect.

Kim of Scrumptious Photography chose this week’s TWD pick—you can find the original recipe for Dorie’s Chocolate Cream Tart there. Or, the recipe for my variation—somewhat lighter and much smaller—is below.

Recipe: Chocolate Cream Tart
Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
Makes 1 8-inch tart

For the filling:

• 1 cup 2% milk
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces and at room temperature
• 9-inch Sweet Tart Dough, halved, rolled into an 8-inch tart pan, fully baked and cooled (you can freeze and save the other half for another time)

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup cold heavy cream
• 3/4  tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To make the filling: Bring the milk to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the yolks together with the sugar, cornstarch and salt until well-blended and thick. Whisking without stopping, drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the hot milk—this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they don’t curdle—then, still whisking, add the remainder of the milk in a steady stream. Put the pan over medium heat and, whisking constantly (make sure to get in the edges of the pan), bring the mixture to a boil. Keep at a boil, still whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.

Whisk in the melted chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in the bits of butter, stirring until they are fully incorporated and the custard is smooth and silky. You can press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the custard to create an airtight seal and refrigerate the custard or, if you want to cool the custard quickly, put the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice cubes and cold water and stir the custard occasionally until it is fully chilled, about 20 minutes. (If it’s more convenient, you can keep the custard, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)

When you are ready to assemble the tart, whisk the chocolate cream vigorously to loosen it and to bring back its velvety texture. Spoon the cream into the tart shell, stopping just short of the crust’s rim (you may have some left over)—you want to leave room for the topping. Smooth the top and, if you are not serving the tart immediately, press a piece of plastic wrap against the cream and refrigerate the tart until needed (or up to 6 hours).

To make the topping:
Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream until it just starts to thicken. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until the cream holds firm peaks.

Serve the tart now, with a dollop of the whipped cream over the individual tart slices. Or refrigerate it for up to 2 hours and add whipped cream just before serving.