Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Tart

Sometimes you just need something ooey-gooey chocolate. For me, this is it: a decadent, creamy slice of pure chocolate mousse atop a cookie crust. The slice pictured was almost too rich--a sliver is all you need.

Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Tart
Serves 8-12

Crushed cookies for a bottom crust (I used 20 small sugar-free shortbread-type cookies)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute
2/3 cup hazelnut-flavored sugar-free coffee creamer
2/3 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks, whisked well
1/8 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300*F. Lightly grease an 8-inch tart pan (mine has a removable bottom, which I recommend for ease of removal) and wrap the exterior with aluminum foil.

Combine crushed cookies with melted butter in the bottom of prepared tart pan. Set aside.

Combine chocolate, sugar, creamer and cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Set over low heat and cook until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth, stirring frequently to prevent the chocolate from scorching on the bottom and sides of pan. Remove from heat and cool slightly for 5 minutes.

While whisking, pour a dollop (about 2-4 tablespoons or so) of hot chocolate mixture into whisked egg yolks. Continue to add hot chocolate mixture slowly while whisking in. When fully incorporated, add espresso powder and vanilla extract. Mixture will be thick.

Gently pour chocolate into prepared tart pan. Tap gently on the counter to help remove bubbles.

Place a folded tea towel in the bottom of a large baking pan and place foil-wrapped tart pan on top. This will prevent the tart from sliding around and ensure slow, even heating--see photo at right. Pour boiling water into outer pan to about 1-inch depth. Carefully place in preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes or until top is set (does not leave a mark when you gently touch surface with finger). Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes.

Carefully remove tart pan from water bath. Cool on the counter to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 or 3 hours.

Gently remove tart from pan. Serve garnished with berries, coulis, whipped cream or other desired toppings.



This is my entry to Tasty Treats' foodblogging event, For the Love of Chocolate. The roundup--part 1 and part 2--offer dozens of fabulous-looking chocolate desserts. Take a look and enjoy!

Onion and Zucchini Galette with Balsamic Reduction

They say to never serve a new recipe to friends... but who else should I test my experiments on? Mr.W? I'm lucky if he tastes the tiniest crumb. No, I need real people who will grab a big mouthful.

So I serve experiments to guests and bring them to parties. This is one of my experiments--and fortunately, it turned out great. The photo above may be a bit deceiving--it's actually quite large; I started cutting it before I remembered to take a photo, but afterward it was cut into tiny appetizer-sized wedges to bring to a party at a friend's house.

Onion and Zucchini Galette with Balsamic Reduction

1 cup balsamic vinegar

olive oil
4 small zucchini (about 2 cups), sliced thin (about 1/4" thick)
1/4 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup butter

3 cups sliced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

basic pie crust for two single crust, prepared (I do my own crust by eye, but you could use two refrigerator pie crusts, pressed together and rolled into a bigger circle or oblong.)

In a small saucepan, simmer balsamic, stirring occasionally, until reduced by 3/4. You should have 1/4 cup when it's finished. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine sliced zucchini, sage and thyme. Drizzle generously with olive oil and toss with hands until each slice has some oil and herbs. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread out into one single layer (you may need two sheet pans--I did); bake in a preheated 350*F oven about 15 minutes, or until hot. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

In a large skillet, melt butter; add chopped onion and saute on low until caramelized, stirring occasionally. (This took me about 30 minutes.) Remove onions with a slotted spoon to a plate. You'll have some buttery goodness still left in your skillet, so add a little olive oil to that and saute your garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Place your rolled-out crust on an oiled baking sheet and top with the garlic-butter-olive oil mixture. Spread around with a spoon or pastry brush to get it onto every inch of that pastry. Leaving a 2-inch border all around, spread onions on pastry. Top with zucchini slices.

Carefully bring dough border up and around onion and zucchini filling, folding decoratively as you go.

Bake galette in a preheated 350*F oven until golden, about 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle exposed vegetables with balsamic glaze. Slice and serve warm.

This is great for a vegetarian side, and could be vegan if you use shortening for your pie crust and caramelize your onions in olive oil instead of butter.

Pear-Cranberry Galette with Blue Cheese, Hazelnuts and Agave Nectar

Today I made a most delicious galette--which is really just a fancy name for a very rustic tart.

Really just a glorified pie--sans top crust, of course--this is the perfect balance of sweet and salty, ideal for the individual who likes a dessert not too sweet. A small slice is just right with a glass of wine.

Make this for a holiday party this year--you won't regret it!


Pear-Cranberry Galette with Blue Cheese, Hazelnuts and Agave Nectar
12 slices

pie crust for a single-crust pie (I made mine very quickly and by eye--shortening, all-purpose flour and cold water--so you'll have to use your own short pastry crust recipe)
1/4 cup salted butter
1/4 cup fresh cranberries
2 large bosc pears, cored and chopped (I left the skin on)
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1/4 pound blue cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts
additional agave nectar for drizzling

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Turn heat to low and let butter brown--watch this carefully so it does not burn. When the melted butter has become brown in color, add fresh cranberries. Saute until they pop--then mash lightly with a potato masher so they're broken up.

Add chopped pears and 1T agave nectar and saute lightly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Roll out pie crust in an oval--this need not be perfect. Transfer to a greased foil- or parchment-lined cookie sheet. A galette is a rustic presentation. Pour pear-cranberry mixture onto the center of the dough. Spread, leaving about a 2-inch border all around. Top with crumbled blue cheese and chopped hazlenuts.

Fold the crust border up and over the perimeter of the filling. You should not cover it completely--just enough to hold the filling in place. Fold crust decoratively, as desired. Brush exposed crust with an egg wash or milk, if you want a nice sheen on your crust. I actually just spray it with Pam spray and it works for me--and a real shortcut.

Bake in the center of a preheated 350*F oven for about 30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling in bubbly.

Remove from oven and gently slide galette to a rack to cool thoroughly.

Serve wedges with an extra drizzle of agave nectar.


I served this at room temperature with extra agave nectar drizzled decoratively over the slice.


This is my entry for "Waiter, there's something in my... topless tart!" hosted by Jeanne of CookSister. What a fun event this month! See all the clever topless tarts submitted for this event--visit the roundup here.

And again, please do accept my apologies for less-than-ideal photos... with Mr.W galavanting all over God's Green Earth with our digital camera, I am limited to my wee cell-phone camera.