Of chocolate tort and chocolate tart

This year I decided to bake for my friend Desiree rather than get her a present. I figured a present from the heart was much nicer – plus I had no idea what to buy her anyway 🙂 At our age, we have accumulated so much stuff, that often times the least you want for Xmas is something that will occupy space in your house.
I decided at first to make her a chocolate tort. I used this recipe for a chocolate hazelnut torte. Alas, it was a total failure. I don’t know if the problem was that I over-whipped the egg whites, that I didn’t butter the pan properly, or that I overbaked it (which I definitely did, though I baked it for less time and at a lower temperature than the recipe called for), but the cake stuck to the sides of the pan, and self-destructed when I took it out. It also wasn’t that good. I liked the chocolate-hazelnut flavor, but it was dry and by itself quite boring (of course, given the failed cake, I didn’t make the glace). So, needless to say, I had to throw it away.
I decided that tortes where not for me, so I chose to make Desiree a chocolate tart, instead. I used this recipe, also from epicurious, and the tart is phenomenal (Desiree is leaving on vacation today, so she didn’t want the whole thing – so I got to keep half of it :-). I modified it a little bit, to the ingredients I had/could find. The only problem was that the crust stuck to the pan – next time I’ll butter it. Here is the recipe:
Chocolate Glazed Chocolate Tart
Ingredients

    For crust:

  • 1 cup finely ground Milano chocolate cookies (I used raspberry flavored ones)
  • 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup sugar
    For filling:

  • 1 1/4 cups cream
  • 9 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
    For glaze:

  • 2 Tbsp. cream
  • 1 3/4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1 Tbsp. warm water

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter the bottom of a tart pan.
Make the crust by mixing together all the ingredients. Press them onto the bottom and sides of the tart pan. Bake until firm, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
Make filling. Place the chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the cream to a boil, and pour ove the chocolate. Mix well as the chocolate melts. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract and salt. Stir into the chocolate cream.
Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Bake until the filling is set, about 20-25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.
Make the glace by putting the chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the cream to a boil (I placed it into a metal measuring cup to boil it) and pour over the chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth. Stir in the honey and then the water.
Pour glaze onto the tart, spreading evenly. Let stand until glaze sets, about 1 hour (I put it in the fridge to cool).

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