Friday, March 27, 2009

Milk Chocolate Tart with Pretzel Crust

from Food and Wine Magazine, Feb 2009. adapted from pastry Chef Collen Grapes- the Harrison, New York City

active time: 45 minutes (more like an hour)
total: 2 hours plus 4 HOURS chilling- read: do not start the evening of a birthday party.

CRUST
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups coarsely crushed thin pretzels (3 1/2 oz)
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 large egg
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted

FILLING
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 pound milk chocolate, chopped
coarse sea salt and crushed pretzels for garnish


Beat butter and 3/4 cup of pretzels and sugar until creamy. Beat in flour and egg.
Add remaining 1/2 cup of pretzels, leaving some pretzel pieces intact. Flatten dough between two sheets of plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough into a 12 inch round. Invert into fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough into corners and patch any holes. Refrigerate again 30 minutes.

Line shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. (I used uncooked brown rice.) Bake 30 minutes, until nearly set. Remove parchment and weights, and bake for 10-15 minutes more. Let shell cool completely. Brush bottom and sides of crust with melted dark chocolate; refrigerate to set, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and add chopped milk chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Pour filling into shell and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours. (I put mine in the freezer for 70 minutes and it held alright.) Sprinkle with sea salt and crushed pretzels.

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