It's Monday night (although I'm not posting until Tuesday--don't worry--I'm following the posting rules!). I'm watching Jon Stewart (viva la France!) and Stephen Colbert (the Decemberists!). I've just eaten the penultimate wedge of chocolate cream tart. I'm happy, happy, happy.
Confession time: I licked the plate clean of shortbread crust crumbs. And then ate a spoonful of the chocolate custard with a dollop of whipped cream. All in the dark of my kitchen. I nearly swooned.
I did this all in the name of science. I'm nothing if not interdisciplinary. I may not do math here, and I may fuss a lot with words, but I'm down with the scientific method:)
And the results: this tart, and its individual components, are absolutely phenomenal.
Readers, I licked my plate. I may live alone, but I have certain standards of civilized behavior here, and licking the plate, well, it's just not usually done here.
The tart is that good.
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I made the tart Saturday afternoon when rain poured and Mom and Grandma sat in the chairs at my kitchen island, watching me bake, and reconciling themselves to the fact that apparently when it comes to baking, I really don't like help. Adoring fans? Yes. Pleased eaters? Yes. Dish washers? Sure (though my dishwasher made speedy work of cleaning the baking bowls and pans). I thoroughly understand and appreciate that this trait is less than desirable. I'm working on it.
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I followed Dorie's recipe fairly closely, with two exceptions: I substituted 1% milk for the whole milk in the custard with nary a problem; I made the whipped topping with vanilla bean and a spoonful of Greek yogurt folded in for a rather creme fraiche-y tang. I also served it in small dollops atop the tart rather than frosting the whole pastry.
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This tart is made for sharing--Grandma and Mom loved it, and I sent home wedges for Grandpa and Dad. Today I brought a slice to my colleague A, who was particularly kind to me when I had an especially bad day last week. The rest I'm eating myself.
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Thank you, Kim of Scrumptious Photography (check out her gorgeous pics!), for choosing this recipe, which is now one of my favorite Dorie creations of all time.
I put a bit of hazelnut coffee creamer in my custard.
ReplyDeleteIt was heavenly.
Well, I hope you are having a better week this week!! This tart was very, very good. I tasted a little of the chocolate cream before I filled the shells and wasn't sure I would be able to stop! :o)
ReplyDeleteThat looks fantastic!!! Great job!!!
ReplyDeleteI added a little almond to my topping. It was good too.
Your tart looks very good. Im glad you were able to share it with your loved ones. I thought it was a great recipe!
ReplyDeleteI found this required a lot of taste testing. I'd take a spoonful, taste it, think "that's great!" Few minutes later, I'd be wondering "was it really that good?", get out another spoon, test a little more. Mmm, even better than I remembered. And so on.
ReplyDeleteYAY! It was licking-the-plate good, wasn't it?
ReplyDeleteI just love thinking of you there all by yourself licking the plate clean...so much fun to envision that. Very nice job, and I so need to take lessons from you on how to shave chocolate...mine doesn't look anything like yours, and yours looks pretty perfect to me!
ReplyDeleteStewart + Colbert + this tart may actually be my personal definition of happiness. Okay, so maybe I'd throw a few other things in there along with those three, but they'd all definitely be there. So glad that you and your family enjoyed the tart. It looks beautiful - glad to know it works well with lighter milk, too!
ReplyDeletethis looks really good
ReplyDeleteHow kind of you to share. I had two slices, and now I'm kinda missing it. (It's been a few weeks since I baked it, and seeing the tart all over the blogosphere is a bit nostalgic!) Great tart. Maybe you can find a lablor-intensive recipe, with lots of chopping or something, and get the fam to pitch in.
ReplyDeleteNancy
Oh dear, I see what's going on here...you're falling...for desserts! Shame shame...does your husband know about this?? haha. that slice looks perfectly smooth. sigh. I want some!
ReplyDeleteYour tart looks fabulous! I'm not too receptive to help in the kitchen either. If anyone is coming over, I do as much as humanly possible ahead of time so I can be alone in the kitchen!
ReplyDeleteOh yum, your tart looks perfect! The bittersweet chocolate was a bit much for me this week, but I think this would be perfect with milk chocolate!
ReplyDelete