chocolate almond tart • my other one and only

If I didn’t have a significant other, this tart would be the one–my one and only.

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In fact, I would keep pursuing it until it had no other option than to be with me, and I would leave it no choice but for it to fall head over heels for me. I would work my magic to make this tart become completely infatuated and addicted to me, just like I have become completely infatuated and addicted to its individuality and existence.

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But up to this day, I do have a significant other.

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So in the meantime, I will just have to be unfaithful to him with this super decadent, elegant, and sexy chocolate almond tart. Please enjoy.

I truly think you will.

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(Yield: one 8″-9″ tart)

Research Question: Will this chocolate almond tart have the power to make my taste buds sing and dance of blissful euphoria…or something of that nature?

Hypothesis:

– Using chopped almonds in the chocolate custard will add nice texture that will contrast the smoothness and tenderness of the chocolate filling.

– The semisweet chocolate custard flavor + the almond flavor that is achieved from the almond extract and toasted almonds will in fact make my heart and taste buds sing.

– The light and airy créme chantilly on top will provide a nice contrast to the rich and dense chocolate custard.

Ingredients for Tart Shell:

6 oz AP flour

4 oz butter, cubed and chilled

About 2 oz water or less

1/2 tsp salt

4 tsp sugar

Procedure/Recipe for Tart Shell:

1. Put flour on the surface of a clean table or cutting board. Add salt and mix with hands.
2. Add cubed butter to flour and cut butter into flour with a dough scraper or a knife until butter cubes become pea-sizes or smaller.
3. Start incorporating water by adding 1 tablespoon at a time. Blend water well into the flour by folding everything together with dough scraper. Stop adding water once the dough holds together.
4. Wrap dough in plastic and allow it to rest in refrigerator or in freezer until the dough is completely chilled, about 30 minutes or more.
5. Roll dough:
   1. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on the table so that dough doesn’t stick.
   2. Push rolling pin down on dough to flatten it out a bit.
   3. Begin rolling dough away from you. Rotate dough 180 degrees and continue to roll away from you. Dough should be rolled only once before turning. Continue to do this process until dough resembles the shape of a square.
   4. Being to roll and turn dough 90 degrees. Roll once away from you and turn 90 degrees. Continue to do this until the thickness of the dough is close to 1/16” thick.
   5. Spray tart pan with vegetable spay to aid dough get into pan. Put dough over tart pan and ease it into every corner by pushing it in. Squeeze edges a bit to have a little of extra dough that extends inward.
   6. Trim edges by rolling the rolling pin over the tart pan.
6. Place a circular shaped piece of parchment paper over dough and put baking beans over parchment paper, enough so that baking beans come to the rim of the tart pan.
7. Bake tart shell for a total of approximately 25 minutes with the beans, until crust sets and becomes golden brown.
8.  Remove beans and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, until crust is baked all through out. Set aside.

Ingredients for Chocolate Custard:

8 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

5 oz heavy cream

5 oz milk

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

Procedure/Recipe for Chocolate Custard:

1. Heat heavy cream and milk and bring to a simmer.
2. Put chopped chocolate in a large bowl and pour simmered heavy cream and milk over chocolate. Allow cream and chocolate to rest for about a five minutes so that chocolate softens and melts.
3. Whisk mixture until everything is well combined and emulsified.
4. Set ganache aside until it cools.
5. Beat eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a separate bowl and add them to ganache. Stir well to combine.

Ingredients for Créme Chantilly:

7 oz heavy cream

1/2 C 10x sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Procedure/Recipe for Créme Chantilly:

1. Whip heavy cream on medium speed and continue whipping until stiff peaks are just about to form.
2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and finish whipping by hand until stiff peaks form.

Ingredients for Toasted Slivered Almonds:

1 C slivered almonds

2 T 10x sugar

Procedure/Recipe for Toasted Slivered Almonds:

1. Spread slivered almonds onto a sheet tray.
2. Sprinkle 10x over slivered almonds.
3. Bake at 325 F until almonds are golden brown, for about 25-30 minute, and toss them every 5 minutes.
4. Place half the amount of almonds into a food processor and pulse just until almonds are roughly chopped. Reserve the other half for topping.

FINALLY-Time to put it all together!!

1. Sprinkle some of the roughly chopped toasted almonds evenly over the base of the tart shell.

2. Pass chocolate custard through a sieve and fill tart shell with chocolate custard just shy of the top.

3. Sprinkle additional roughly chopped toasted almonds evenly over the chocolate custard.

4. Bake at 250 F – 275 F for about 40-45 minutes until it jiggles in the center when it’s tapped. Allow tart to cool completely.

5. Cut slices of tart and dallop or pipe créme chantilly over the top. Finish with a few toasted slivered almonds over créme chantilly. Serve warm.

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Results/Conclusion:

– warm, smooth, and tender chocolate custard with a nice spark of texture from the almonds and the crispy crust.

– perfect harmony of chocolate and almond flavors.

– topping of créme chantilly contributes to the overall smoothness and velvety feel of the filling.

I’m in love all over again!