There are times when nothing completes a meal like chocolate, a really good bite of chocolate. Food historians date the consumption of chocolate back to as early as 1900 BC, and it has now become one of the most popular food types and flavors in the world.
Consumption of chocolate, in particular dark chocolate, can also be good for your health. Chocolate is a good source of minerals, Vitamin B12, and iron. But best of all, a high quality chocolate tastes good, which is why I really enjoy serving folks slivers of Bittersweet Chocolate Tart.
The recipe for this sinfully luscious dessert features a crust made from rolled oats or old fashioned oatmeal ground up quite finely in the bowl of your food processor along with whole wheat flour, melted butter and honey. Cocoa powder and a touch of cinnamon add an exotic flavor. Texture is important here. The first time I made this crust it had small chunks, which detracted from the overall taste of the dessert.
Once you have a really fine crust mixture, pat it evenly into a tart pan, or even a pie plate. Again, take some time and be sure to distribute the crumbs evenly throughout the pan. Thin spots will not support the filling, and who wants big bites of crust with slivers of chocolate?
There is no additional sweetener added to the filling, making it a really rich, dense, chocolate sensation. A sprinkling of coarse sea salt and chopped nuts (or seeds) on the top of the tart creates another layer of flavor. Very sophisticated, very healthy, and very good!
BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE TART
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ¼ cups rolled oats
- ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
- ½ cup butter melted and cooled
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon Sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the filling:
- 1 cup espresso or strong coffee
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup butter melted and cooled
Instructions
For the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a 9-inch diameter or a 13 x 4 inch tart pan.
- In the bowl of your food processor, pulse together crust ingredients until ground, and the mixture is crumbly and looks like sand.
- Pat into the tart pan and up the sides.
- Bake until crust is set and smells toasty, about 20 minutes.
- Transfer to a rack and cool.
For the filling:
- Add the espresso and cocoa powder to the bowl of your food processor. Let sit 5 minutes.
- Add melted chocolate, vanilla and butter. Process until mixture is very thick and smooth.
- Scrape tart filling into shell.
- Top with 1-tablespoon sea salt mixed 1 tablespoon toasted chopped nuts or seeds.
- Chill at least one hour. Cut into pieces and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.