Dark Chocolate Shortbread Tart

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Chocolate Tart with Shortbread Crust | lemon-sugar.com

Is it me, or does this just scream Valentine’s Day?  It’s decadent and indulgent, a dark chocolate custard atop a buttery, shortbread crust.  Oh, and if that wasn’t enough – how about the heaping mound of sweet whipped cream right on top? I’m pretty sure this is why we have Valentine’s Day.  So we can eat things like this. Let’s just have another look, shall we?

Chocolate Tart with Shortbread Crust | lemon-sugar.com

 I’m a big fan of a standard graham cracker crust, and even a good chocolate wafer crust – but this?  Crumbly, buttery shortbread cookies pressed into a tart crust?  Major win. But here’s the best part:  the amazing shortbread crust is filled to the brim with a dark, slightly-sweet-slightly-bitter chocolate that thickens just the right amount.  And just when you think the chocolate is going to be too dark, (is there such a thing?) the sweetness takes over and is further relaxed by a nice big hit of sweetened cream. You guys.  I can’t.  I don’t have the words to express just how luxurious this tart really is. Here’s the secret: good chocolate. Not just good chocolate, really good chocolate.  REALLY, REALLY good chocolate.

Chocolate Tart with Shortbread Crust | lemon-sugar.com
When you find a good baking chocolate, you’ll know it.  The texture is better, the cocoa flavor is more prevalent.  It’s smoother, and more flavorful – perhaps not as sweet, but it doesn’t need to be as sweet because the ingredients are better. Cue my latest and greatest discovery:  Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate.  I love them for oh-so-many reasons – and if you’ll indulge me, I’d like to tell you about them here because not only am I smitten with the chocolate, I’m also kind of in love with the company. As you know, I’m a huge proponent for good quality, organic, local-when-possible ingredients.  I like to feel good about what I eat, what I serve to my family and friends, and who I support with my hard-earned money. Green & Black’s has a great story.  They were founded in 1991, and have always produced a high-quality, organic chocolate.  They have 11 different varieties; I like to bake with the dark and milk chocolates, and I like to eat the almond bar on days when I just need a little treat.
Chocolate Tart with Shortbread Crust | lemon-sugar.com

Even better?  Green & Black’s is Fairtrade certified. What the heck does that mean, anyway? Don’t feel bad, I didn’t know until several months ago, either. Essentially, it involves the production of certain foods (like cocoa, coffee, bananas, tea, and sugar) —in that they must be free of forced labor or poor working conditions for laborers. And perhaps most importantly, participating in a Fairtrade production chain can result in huge benefits for farmers. There are set “floor” prices, which protects smaller farms from fluctuating prices and from bigger, corporate farms from buying them when they are in a weaker market. Pretty awesome cause to support, right? Plus, you can just tell when good quality ingredients are used – and Green & Black’s is committed to creating a great-tasting organic chocolate bar – and I think the fact that they’re socially responsible just makes them taste even better.  They’re a great company, and I invite you to support them next time you see them at your market.  If you want more information about them, check out their website, their Facebook page and find them on Twitter.

Chocolate Tart with Shortbread Crust | lemon-sugar.com

I hope you give this recipe a try.  It’s a true treat, and for a chocolate lover, you just can’t go wrong.  Not a big dark chocolate fan?  Swap it out for some milk chocolate and you won’t be disappointed. What’s your favorite kind of chocolate – are you a white, dark or milk chocolate fan?  Let me know in a comment below, and you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to win a $100 cash equivalent gift card and a Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate prize pack of your own! Enjoy!  

This sweepstakes is sponsored and fulfilled by BlogHer. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate. All opinions are 100% mine.
Dark Chocolate Shortbread Tart
 
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Inspired by Matt and Renato of Baked Elements: The Importance of Being Baked in 10 Favorite Ingredients">Baked Elements, this Dark Chocolate Tart is decadent, indulgent, and the perfect end to a celebratory feast.
Serves: 12-16 servings
Ingredients
Crust:
  • 8 ounces shortbread cookies
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 ounces (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • ⅓ cup whole milk
  • 5 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
  • 4 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons good-quality vanilla extract
Whipped Topping:
  • 1 and ½ cups whipping cream
  • ¼ cup confectioners sugar
  • 2 teaspoons good-quality vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust:
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).
  2. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan with a light coating of cooking spray. Set aside
  3. In a food processor, pulse the cookies into fine crumbs.
  4. Pour the crumbs into a large bowl, and add sugar and salt. Stir to combine.
  5. Pour melted butter over the top of the crumbs and combine with a fork until all crumbs are moistened.
  6. Pour crumbs into springform pan, and use your hand or a flat-bottomed cup to spread into an even layer, coming up the sides of the pan about an inch and a half.
  7. Place crust into the freezer for about 15 minutes.
  8. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet, and bake for 10-25 minutes (depends on moisture content of cookies, mostly) or until the crust is just dry. Do not allow the crust to brown, but it must dry before you add the filling or you'll have a soggy crust. You can cover the pan with foil if yours takes a long time to dry.
  9. Remove from oven and set aside while you prepare the filling.
Filling:
  1. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the milk and the cream until they begin to bubble at the sides of the pan and just start to steam.
  2. Remove from heat, and stir chopped chocolate into the cream mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate is melted, completely combined, and smooth. Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, whisk together egg, egg yolk, flour and vanilla. Whisk vigorously until flour dissolves.
  4. Pour cooled chocolate into egg mixture, and whisk until completely combined.
  5. Pour chocolate mixture into the prepared tart crust.
  6. Again, place the pan on a baking sheet, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the edges are slightly wet and the center is slightly jiggly.
  7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Once cool, run a thin, offset spatula or a butter knife around the edge of the crust. Carefully release the springform.
Whipped cream:
  1. In a large bowl, beat cream on medium-high speed until the cream starts to firm up.
  2. Add vanilla and confectioners sugar, and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
  3. Spoon over top of tart, and enjoy!
  4. Keep refrigerated.

Entry Instructions: No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods: 1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post 2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post 3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post 4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. This sweepstakes is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 2/5/2015 – 3/31/2015. Be sure to visit the Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

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