Chocolate Custard Tart Recipes

Steps:

• In a 2 quart pan, heat milk slowly over a low heat.
• In a small bowl whisk together sugar and cornstarch. Add to hot milk and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until mixture thickens and starts to bubble. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring continually. Turn heat to lowest setting.
• In another bowl whisk egg yolks. Add a small amount of hot milk mixture to yolks while whisking to warm yolks- not to cook them. In a thin stream add the warmed eggs to the the rest of the milk mixture, while whisking continually. Cook over low heat for 2 more minutes.
• Remove custard from heat and stir in vanilla, butter, and chocolate.
• Dissolve gelatin in cold water and stir into custard. Pour immediately into pie shell and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• Pretty when garnished with chocolate curls.

Steps:

• Dough: Sift the flour with the cocoa and salt. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle on low speed until fluffy.
• Add the egg, and mix just until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients, and mix until a dough forms. Shape into a ball, cut in half, flatten both halves, wrap each in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
• Working quickly, roll out one of the dough balls on a large piece of lightly floured parchment paper to form a 13-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick.
• Place the parchment on a baking sheet, cover the dough with plastic, and chill it for at least 1 hour. Keep the remaining dough in the freezer for another tart.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Carefully fit the dough into a 9½-inch tart shell with a removable bottom, taking care not to stretch or pinch it. Freeze the dough for at least 15 minutes.
• Bake the crust until it puffs, about 10 to 15 minutes. Flatten the base by pressing it down with a measuring cup, then continue baking until the crust is crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Set aside to cool.
• Chocolate Custard: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Place chocolate in a bowl. Bring the cream, milk, and sugar to a boil in a saucepan.
• Add the mixture, a third at a time, to the chocolate, stirring each addition until combined. (If it's added all at once, the chocolate will become grainy.) Beat the egg in a large bowl.
• Whisk in a quarter of the chocolate-milk mixture until just combined, and add to the remaining chocolate. (Do not whisk hard.).
• Tap the bowl to get rid of any air bubbles. Pour the custard into the baked tart shell, filling it to the top.
• Bake for 20 minutes, rotate front-to-back, and bake for another 20 minutes or until the custard is set around the edges but jiggly in the center. Serve with brandy whipped cream.

Steps:

• For the Dough: Sift dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then add egg. Add dry ingredients until combined. Shape into a ball, cut in half, wrap in plastic and chill one hour (extra dough half can be frozen.) Roll out dough to 13-inch circle and chill one hour. Fit into 9-1/2 inch tart pan (removable bottom works well) and freeze 15 minutes. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes until the dough puffs up. Flatten the bottom with a measuring cup, pressing all around. Bake another 20 minutes until crisp. Cool.
• For the custard: Preheat oven to 250°F Heat cream, milk and sugar. Pour over chocolate 1/3rd at a time, stirring. Beat egg in a separate bowl and whisk in 1/4 of the cream mixture. Whisk egg mix into remaining cream mix. Tap to get rid of extra bubbles. Pour into shell. Bake 40 minutes, rotating pan once. Custard should be set at edges and still jiggly in the center.
• Serve with whipped cream.

Steps:

• To make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the pastry. Combine the egg yolk with the ice water in a small bowl, whisking to blend; pour it into the well and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Carefully roll the dough up onto the pin (this may take a little practice) and lay it inside a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan so it fits tightly; press the edges into the sides of the pan. It is important to press the dough evenly into every nook and corner of the ring, especially the scalloped edges. Shave off the excess hanging dough with a knife. Put the tart in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to relax.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the tart pan on a sturdy cookie sheet so it will be easy to move in and out of the oven. Line the tart with aluminum foil and add pie weights or dried beans to keep the sides of the tart from buckling. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and weights. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the crust with a beaten egg white. Return to the oven and continue to bake for another 8 minutes until the tart is golden in color, but not brown. Remember the tart will be cooked again with the filling. It should be cooked but light in color so that it will not burn on the second bake. Set aside to cool and lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• To make the filling: Heat the heavy cream and milk in a pot over medium-low flame, until it simmers slightly around the edges. Remove from the heat; add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smoothed out. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until well incorporated. Beat the eggs in a small bowl until blended and add them to the chocolate mixture, stir until completely blended. Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell and bake at 325 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is set and the surface is glossy. If you see any bubbles or cracks forming on the surface, take the tart out right away - that means it is beginning to become over baked. Cool before cutting.

Steps:

• To make the crust dough, cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at medium speed for a minute or two. Stop the mixer and switch to the whisk attachment. Slowly add the sugars and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy, then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated after each addition. Add the flour slowly, then the vanilla, salt, chocolate chips, and nuts, mixing until blended. Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes.
• Lightly flour a cool rolling surface such as a marble tabletop. No marble tabletop? Just flip over a baking sheet, and flour it generously or lightly flour a big piece of parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Place the dough on the floured surface, lightly flour the top, and roll it with a rolling pin until just under 1/2 inch thick. No rolling pin? Flatten the dough as thinly as you can with your hands. Maneuver the flattened dough into a 9 or 10-inch tart or pie pan. One way to do this is to lift under the dough with a big spatula and slip the pan under the dough. Don't worry if the dough breaks-you can pinch it back together. Once the dough is in the pan, smooth it out and flatten it with your hands and press it against the edges of the tart pan. Use scissors to trim any excess pieces that hang over the sides (you can save these scraps and bake them as cookies later). Cover the dough with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and return it to the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 300°F. To make the filling, melt the dark and milk chocolates and butter together in a stainless steel bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and cream to a scald. Slowly add the milk mixture into the egg mixture while stirring briskly. Once the mixture is smooth, stir in the chocolate mixture and let cool to close to room temperature. This is your custard.
• Remove the tart pan from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and put it on a baking sheet. Carefully pour the custard into the tart shell. Place the full tart pan into the hot oven. Take a standard cake pan and fill it halfway up with room temperature water. Place that pan next to the sheet pan in the oven to provide extra moisture for the tart while it bakes. Bake about 40 minutes. You'll see the cookie shell firm up and turn golden brown, and if you shake the pan a little you'll notice the custard moves as a solid, not a liquid. If it still wiggles like a liquid, give it another 5 minutes and try again. When the cookie is golden brown and the center is solid, remove the pan from the oven. Allow to cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Serve cold or at room temperature. Slice with a big knife or pie cutter, and top each slice with a small scoop of whipped cream.

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse wafers until fine crumbs form. Add butter, sugar, and salt, and process until well combined. Press mixture firmly into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan. Bake until crust is fragrant, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Make the filling: In a medium saucepan, heat milk, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch over medium-high, whisking occasionally, until simmering. Reduce heat to medium and add chocolate. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until bubbling and thick, 4 to 5 minutes (about 2 minutes after it comes to a boil). Add salt and remove from heat. Stir in vanilla or bourbon. Let cool about 10 minutes, whisking 2 or 3 times.
• Pour custard into baked and cooled crust. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface of custard. Refrigerate until filling is firm, 4 hours or up to 1 day.
• Make the topping: With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk cream just until soft peaks form. Add confectioners' sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over custard. Garnish tart with chocolate curls just before serving.

Steps:

• Beat eggs and vanilla extract together in a medium bowl until combined; set aside.
• Whisk milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, brandy, and salt together in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until boiling and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Slowly pour 1/2 of the milk mixture into the beaten eggs while stirring; pour mixture back into the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not boil.
• Let custard cool to room temperature, at least 10 minutes. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Blend flour, butter, and sugar together in a food processor until crumbly. Pour in water; mix until crust dough holds together. Press into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan. Poke holes in dough with a fork to eliminate air bubbles.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven; increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Chop chocolate and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring occasionally, until melted; spread over baked crust.
• Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla extract, and egg together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth; spread filling over chocolate layer.
• Arrange berries tightly and evenly over cream cheese filling. Mix raspberry syrup and blackberry schnapps together in a small bowl; brush over berries using a pastry brush.
• Bake in the preheated oven until berries are reduced and filling begins to set, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven; filling will set completely as it cools.

Steps:

• For Crust:
• Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray vegetable oil spray on 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Combine ground cookies and butter in processor; blend until very moist crumbs form. Using plastic wrap as aid, press crumbs firmly onto sides, then bottom of prepared pan. Chill 15 minutes. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Cool.
• For Filling:
• Mix currants and bourbon in heavy small saucepan. Bring to simmer over low heat. Cover and set aside. Whisk corn syrup and egg yolks in medium bowl. Bring half and half to simmer in another heavy small saucepan. Gradually whisk half and half into yolk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thicken and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Pour into large bowl. Add chopped bittersweet chocolate and nutmeg, whisk until melted and smooth. Mix in currants and bourbon. Chill just until cool, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Whip cream in medium bowl to stiff peaks. Fold cream into chocolate mixture. Transfer filling to crust. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Gently press up tart pan bottom to loosen tart. Remove pan sides. Transfer tart to platter. Top with chocolate curls. Sift powdered sugar over. Serve with Orange Custard Sauce.
• For Orange Custard Sauce:
• Bring half and half to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk sugar and yolks in small bowl. Gradually whisk in hot half and half. Return mixture to saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 3 minutes (do not boil). Strain into bowl. Mix in peel. Cover and refrigerate until cold. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Steps:

• Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set aside.
• Combine milk and cream in a medium saucepan and stir.
• over a medium heat until hot but do not allow the mixture to boil.
• Whisk egg yolks, cornflour and sugar in a medium bowl until the mixture is smooth and thick and whisk hot milk mixture, into egg yolk mixture.
• Return mixture to saucepan and whisk constantly, over a low heat for about four minutes, or until custard thickens.
• Pour custard over the chopped chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted.
• Custard can be seved warm or cold.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together in a bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons butter using a pastry cutter or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in egg and egg yolk until dough comes together.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Transfer to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Bake in the preheated oven until dry to the touch, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the pastry cream. Bring milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan.
• Whisk eggs, sugar, and flour together in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in hot milk, a little at a time, until custard is smooth. Pour custard back into the saucepan; add lemon zest. Cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream thickens and comes to a boil, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, discard lemon zest, and let cool.
• Remove tart crust from the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Unmold crust and fill with cooled pastry cream. Pile cherries in the center. Arrange peach slices in a ring around the cherries. Arrange kiwi slices in a ring around the peaches.

Steps:

• Crust:.
• In a small bowl, combine the pecans, sugar and melted butter.
• Pat into a 9" glass pie dish. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Spread the melted chocolate over the inside of the crust and set aside.
• Custard Filling:.
• In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
• Add the cream, 1/2 cup grapefruit juice, the orange juice, eggs and grapefruit zest.
• Sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining grapefruit juice and set aside.
• Cook the cream-citrus mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow it to boil.
• Add the gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Pour custard into the chocolate-coated crust and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
• Serve with whipped cream.

Steps:

• Position 1 oven rack in the bottom of the oven and 1 in the middle. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Unroll pie crust and place in a 9-inch pie plate, crimping the edge.
• Bake pie crust on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
• While the crust is baking, combine eggs and sugar in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Add half-and-half, milk, rum, and salt; mix on low until incorporated. Mix nutmeg and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
• Remove crust from the oven and brush with egg white; bake for another 5 minutes.
• Remove crust from the oven; increase temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Carefully pour filling into the pie crust. Sprinkle with spice mixture.
• Bake on the bottom rack of the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Move the pie to the middle rack and bake until the middle of the pie is almost set, about 25 minutes. Place on a cooling rack; it will continue to cook after it's taken out of the oven.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• In a large heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and cream or half-and-half. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
• Remove the bowl from the saucepan and whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and Cognac. Pour the mixture into the prebaked tart shell, tilting and shaking it very gently to even out the filling.
• Set the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake until the filling looks almost set but still quivers when the tart is gently jiggled, about 20 minutes. Don't overbake. Let cool completely.
• Remove the tart pan sides by setting the tart on an overturned bowl or other tall, wide surface (a large can of tomatoes works well). Gently press down on the outer ring and let the ring fall to the countertop. Set the tart on a flat surface. Release the tart from the pan bottom by sliding the blade of a knife between the crust and the pan bottom, then slip the tart onto a serving plate. (If it doesn't release cleanly, simply serve the tart on the pan bottom.)
• Whipped cream (page 239) is one possible accompaniment to a wedge of this delectable tart, but Caramel Ice Cream (page 144) dials up the richness. Or, a scribble of Orange Caramel Sauce (page 242) will add a pleasant citrusy note.
• The tart should be served the same day it's made. Keep it at room temperature until ready to serve.