Now there’s a title! This is just a sinfully rich and delicious little tart – like chewy candy in a butter-cookie crust. It’s easy to make using store-bought caramels, and appropriately decadent for Valentine’s Day. This dessert is most elegantly served if it’s made in a shallow, 11-inch tart pan (one of those with fluted edges and a removable bottom) as directed in the recipe. If you don’t have that kind of pan, simply use a regular 9-or 10-inch pie pan to make the tart. You won’t be able to remove the sides for serving, and the serving pieces will be a little large, but it will taste wonderful anyway.
FOR THE CRUST:
1 stick (4 ounces), very cold butter – cut into 8 pieces
1/3 cup, sugar
2 teaspoons, vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups, flour
1 egg
FOR THE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE AND CARAMEL FILLING:
1 1/2 cups (9 ounces), semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup, heavy cream [divided use]
1 (14 ounce) package, vanilla caramels
3 cups, chopped pecans
1 stick (4 ounces), very cold butter – cut into 8 pieces
1/3 cup, sugar
2 teaspoons, vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups, flour
1 egg
FOR THE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE AND CARAMEL FILLING:
1 1/2 cups (9 ounces), semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup, heavy cream [divided use]
1 (14 ounce) package, vanilla caramels
3 cups, chopped pecans
To Make the Crust: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. To make the crust in a food processor: combine butter, sugar and vanilla; process 1 minute. Add flour and process to blend. With the machine on, add the egg through the feed tube and process just until the dough is well blended, and you can gather it into a ball. [The dough for the tart crust can also be made perfectly well by hand, without a food processor.]
Roll out the dough, and press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of and 11-inch tart pan (as described in the introductory note). Place a sheet of aluminum foil on top of the formed dough, and fill the tart pan with dried beans (beans may be re-used for this purpose almost indefinitely), or use aluminum pie weights. Bake 10 minutes. Remove foil with beans or pie weights, prick crust all over with the sharp tines of a fork, and return the empty crust to the oven to bake for another 7 minutes – or until lightly colored. Allow crust to cool completely before filling.
To Make the Tart Filling: In a one-quart glass bowl, combine the chocolate chips and the 1/3 cup of cream. Microwave on high for 1 minute, or until chocolate is melted and can be stirred smooth. Microwave for a few additional seconds if necessary to melt chocolate – but stir frequently – the chocolate will hold its shape even after melting – so you can’t tell that it’s melted, unless you stir it. When chocolate can be stirred smooth, do not heat further –the chocolate will “break” if it gets too hot. [Chocolate may be melted in a double boiler (instead of a microwave) if desired, heat it over, but not in, simmering water, stirring constantly.]
When crust is cool, spread 3/4 of this melted chocolate mixture (this is the “truffle” part) over bottom of the crust. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until this “truffle” has set. Reserve the remaining 1/4 of the melted chocolate truffle mixture.
In a large skillet, combine the caramels and the remaining 1/2 cup of cream. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth – about 3 minutes. Stir in the chopped pecans. Spread this mixture evenly over the chilled truffle mixture in the tart crust.
Heat the remaining 1/4 of the chocolate truffle mixture in a microwave for 15 seconds or so if necessary – you just want it to be gently melted. Drizzle this mixture attractively, (using a fork makes it easy), over the top of the tart. Refrigerate the finished tart until the filling is set – at least one hour.
Before serving, remove the sides of the tart pan (if using). Cut the tart into slices using a sharp knife.
Roll out the dough, and press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of and 11-inch tart pan (as described in the introductory note). Place a sheet of aluminum foil on top of the formed dough, and fill the tart pan with dried beans (beans may be re-used for this purpose almost indefinitely), or use aluminum pie weights. Bake 10 minutes. Remove foil with beans or pie weights, prick crust all over with the sharp tines of a fork, and return the empty crust to the oven to bake for another 7 minutes – or until lightly colored. Allow crust to cool completely before filling.
To Make the Tart Filling: In a one-quart glass bowl, combine the chocolate chips and the 1/3 cup of cream. Microwave on high for 1 minute, or until chocolate is melted and can be stirred smooth. Microwave for a few additional seconds if necessary to melt chocolate – but stir frequently – the chocolate will hold its shape even after melting – so you can’t tell that it’s melted, unless you stir it. When chocolate can be stirred smooth, do not heat further –the chocolate will “break” if it gets too hot. [Chocolate may be melted in a double boiler (instead of a microwave) if desired, heat it over, but not in, simmering water, stirring constantly.]
When crust is cool, spread 3/4 of this melted chocolate mixture (this is the “truffle” part) over bottom of the crust. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until this “truffle” has set. Reserve the remaining 1/4 of the melted chocolate truffle mixture.
In a large skillet, combine the caramels and the remaining 1/2 cup of cream. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth – about 3 minutes. Stir in the chopped pecans. Spread this mixture evenly over the chilled truffle mixture in the tart crust.
Heat the remaining 1/4 of the chocolate truffle mixture in a microwave for 15 seconds or so if necessary – you just want it to be gently melted. Drizzle this mixture attractively, (using a fork makes it easy), over the top of the tart. Refrigerate the finished tart until the filling is set – at least one hour.
Before serving, remove the sides of the tart pan (if using). Cut the tart into slices using a sharp knife.
Adapted from 365 Great Chocolate Desserts by Natalie Haughton (Harper Collins)
