I just found out that today is National Chocolate Chip Day. Sweet! (Pun intended). Also, there are several chocolate themed holidays throughout the year! http://www.oldtimechocolates.com/chocolate-holidays-2012/
PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE TART
Pumpkin for a pumpkin. Tart for a tart. It was the Polish Prince’s birthday! Now the relevant 34.
I find it a little funny that our Peter is such a pumpkin eater. It’s okay though, I’ll make him all the pumpkin he likes, because he’s one of my favourite people ever. (Get over yourself.)
The night before I had a dream that he didn’t like my pie? I don’t even want to know what Freud would have to say about that.
…But seriously, baking dreams are a new low. Maybe I should explore new hobbies? I was talking to this guy once and he asked me, “So what do you like to do for fun?”
I talked about baking and drinking.
Then he said, “Well, do you have any hobbies?”
And I said, “Yeah… Baking. And drinking.”
I could have gone with my ACD’s mantra, “Sweets, sex, and creative is all I think about.”
ANYWAY. This tart is awesome. It has a layer of chocolate on the bottom of the crust, which gives it a dense candy bar sort of texture, almost like a Skor bar. I pulled the recipe out of my Martha Stewart Pies & Tarts book, where it was featured as a Halloween themed pie with a spiderweb design. I guess you could do that if you’re feeling haunted.CHOCOLATE CRUST
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
4 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Add butter; mix on low speed until butter is the size of small peas, about 5 minutes. Add egg; mix until ingredients come together to form a dough.
Preheat oven to 350º F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to just thicker than 1/8 inch. Brush off excess flour; transfer dough to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough into bottom and up sides of pan; trim excess flush with edge. Lightly prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
Bake shell until firm, about 15 minutes. Immediately sprinkle chocolate over bottom of shell; smooth with a rubber spatula.
PUMPKIN FILLING
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
8 ounces creme fraiche or sour cream
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 350º F. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, brown sugar, creme fraiche, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and cloves until smooth. Pass mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl (discard solids). Pour filling into prepared crust, just to top edge.
Bake until filling is set, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool at least 30 minutes.
Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set over a pan of barely simmering water; heat until melted, stirring occasionally. Transfer chocolate to a parchment paper cone or resealable bag with a tiny hole cut in one corner. Design however your heart desires. Refrigerate tart until set, at least 1 hour (or up to 1 day).Source: Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts
