There are bugs on our windows.They wait for us outside our front door.
We walk onto porch and their translucent wings flutter as we grab Margot and hastily open, then slam shut, our front door.
But if a lone moth dare enters the house, Cricket waits with her recognizable chirp. Whenever Cricket sees a bugs, she releases her hunting call.
Her green eyes dilate, and she runs in circles as she tries to keep up with the flutter of wings. Before long, she vanquishes her foe. But unlike in times past (when she lived near Town Lake here in Austin), Cricket doesn't eat her prey.
She leaves it on the living room floor.
And because Margot is a dog. She eats it. She eats everything we drop on the floor. Be it a dead moth or a cauliflower floret.
But because I'm a good pet-owner, there's one thing she's not allowed to lick up: chocolate. (And why waste good chocolate on a dog with such indiscriminate taste?)
This chocolate glazed tart is what certain people imagine when they think of an ideal dessert. Rich. Subtlety sweet. Crunchy and smooth.
You only need a sliver to feel satisfied, but you'll probably end up taking at least a piece more.
I'm getting ready for a trip to Paris and making plans for next year. With such excitement, tarts like these feel like perfect expressions of this new phase of our lives. They're deeper, richer, and surprisingly satisfying.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. What I love about this recipe is the simplicity--graham crackers, butter, cream, chocolate, eggs and not much more.
Another great place to find simple and wholesome recipes for the summer is on the archived grilling class I did with the Motherhood last week. Take a moment to visit and see if anything inspires you to fire up your grill. I read today that across the United States, temperature have been at least 5 degrees warmer than usual averages. So even if you don't live in Austin, I think grilling season has arrived.
Simple Chocolate Tart*Adapted from Epicurious
For crust:
9 chocolate graham crackers (not chocolate-covered), finely ground (1 cup)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
For filling:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not more than 65% cacao if marked), chopped
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
For topping:
White chocolate bar, finely shaved with grater
1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle of oven. Stir together all ingredients for crust and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 inch up side of 9-inch tart pan. Bake until firm, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack 15 to 20 minutes
Make filling:
2. Bring cream to a boil, then pour over chocolate in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Whisk together eggs, vanilla, and salt in another bowl, then stir into melted chocolate.
3. Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set about 3 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as tart cools.) Cool completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour.
4. Once cool, sprinkle shaved white chocolate over tart.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
