Netflix Challenge: Create a dessert that is at least 18 inches tall and features a new type of dessert and decorating technique that I had not used on the show before.
My Inspiration: Chocolate tarts are my favorite dessert, and I make them more often than any other dessert, using my Sunday Night Chocolate Sauce. This delicious tart is magical because it’s so quick and easy, and that gave me more time during the baking competition to create a tower of 4 tarts and turn them into a fairy forest. You will be amazed by the tart’s creamy, deep, rich chocolate taste, and everyone will think you spent hours baking this amazing dessert.
Note: This recipe makes one, 9-inch tart. If you want to make the tower of tarts like I did on the show, triple the recipe and bake into 12-, 9-, 6-, and 3-inch tart pans.
Preheat oven to 400°F. For the crust, in a medium bowl stir together melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir in flour. Using your fingers, press the pastry mixture evenly into bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.* Place the tart pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes or until bottom and sides are golden in color, covering sides with foil during last half of baking time if browning too quickly. Transfer tart on the baking sheet to a wire rack. Leave the oven set to 400°F.
Meanwhile, for the filling, in a medium saucepan heat Sunday Night Chocolate Premium Dessert Sauce over low heat until warm to the touch but not boiling, stirring as needed; remove from heat. In a medium bowl whisk egg until foamy. Whisk 2 tablespoons of the warm (not hot) chocolate sauce into the egg. Continue to whisk the remaining chocolate sauce into the egg, a few tablespoons at a time or in a slow drizzle (this is called tempering and keeps the egg from scrambling).
Immediately pour the filling mixture into the warm pastry crust. Return baking sheet with the tart to the oven. Turn off the oven. Let the tart sit in the hot oven about 10 minutes or until filling starts to set around the edges but center four inches still jiggle when gently shaken. Transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour, before removing sides from the pan. Serve with berries, chopped nuts, and whipped cream (if using). Or, cover and refrigerate cooled tart for up to 2 days (let chilled tart stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving). Makes 8 to 12 servings.
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