simple, elegant, chocolate, tart

it takes a concerted effort on the part of the universe to get me really cranky. not just a little annoyed or peeved or frowny, but the i-don't-want-to-do-anything-and-i-better-have-something-warm-and-chocolatey-real-soon-or-i'm-gonna-break-something kinda cranky. i had one of those moments the other night. it was around 10 pm, we had just eaten dinner, and nothing was going to get me back in the studio. i needed chocolate in the form of baked goodness and didn't have the energy or emotional stability for one of my usual twenty-step endeavors. thank goodness for chocolate tart with easy shortbread crust.

if i would have been less cranky that evening, i would have made a raspberry coulis to top it off. whipped cream is also always lovely (we eat lots of whipped cream in this house), maybe with a dusting of cinnamon (preferably vietnamese)? i could also see adding nuts to the crust, substituting equivalent amounts of finely ground nuts for maybe up to 1/3 of the flour? or making an all nut crust - hazelnuts or almonds would be nice. think i'll do that next time...

i'm a believer in good chocolate (surprise, surprise). i like Green and Black's 72% for most occasions, Scharffenberger's for special occasions, and i always keep some Ghiradelli's 60% bittersweet around because it's easy for me to procure, less expensive, and still quite tasty.

this recipe comes out of the Joy of Cooking. it's relatively simple in preparation and calls for very few ingredients, but it comes off as elegant and decadent. the best of all worlds.

Bittersweet Chocolate Tart
makes 8-10 servings

for the shortbread crust, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400˚. butter the bottom, of a two piece, 9-10 inch tart pan. dust the pan with flour, tilt to coat the bottom, and tap out the excess.

whisk together in a bowl or food processor:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1/3 cup sugar 1/4 tsp salt
add:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened if working by hand, cut into 8 pieces
mash with the back of a fork or process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. add:
1 large egg yolk
mix with a spatula or process just until the dough comes together in a ball. if the dough is too soft and sticky to work with, refrigerate it for 30 minutes or up to 2 days. pat the dough evenly over the bottom and sides of the prepared pan (which i forgot to do with no ill effect). prick the bottom and sides with a fork and bake until deep golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes.

when the crust is finished pre-baking, turn the heat down to 375˚, and position the rack in the lower third of the oven.

in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer:
1 cup heavy cream
remove from the heat and add:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (or sorta broken up if you're cranky)
whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. then whisk in:
1 large egg, lightly beaten
pour the chocolate mixture into the tart shell. bake until the center seems set but still quivery (this is a custard of sorts, after all) when the pan is nudged, 15-18 minutes. let cool on a rack and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

raspberry coulis
makes 1 cup

puree in a blender or food processor:
1 pint fresh raspberries or 12 oz. frozen dry-pack raspberries, thawed
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons strained fresh lemon juice
strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing firmly with a rubber spatula until you are left with a heaping tablespoon of stiff, clumped-together seeds. taste and add sugar or lemon juice as needed.