Chilled Valrhonna Chocolate Nut Tart
Prep oven per Mugnaini Roasting Oven Protocol.
Forming the tart shell into fluted false-bottomed tart pan:
Remove dough from refrigerator and uncover. Beat with rolling pin to soften and roll into a disc 3/16 thick and 2 inches larger than your removable bottom tart pan.
Partially roll dough up onto your rolling pin and unroll over tart pan. Lift the edges to allow dough to drop in and settle and cover bottom of pan. Then, fold excess perimeter dough over towards inside of pan and push it up about 1/8 inch around the ridge of pan to form a thicker, sturdier edge. Pinch edges of dough to form a decorative edge. Prick bottom of pastry with a fork at 1/4 inch intervals. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour.
Prebaking tart shell: Prepare wood-burning oven to Mugnaini’s Baking Environment or set your standard oven to 450 degrees
Remove tart shell from refrigerator. Butter a large sheet of aluminum foil and set buttered side down into chilled pastry shell gently placing foil up around edges of dough. Fill completely with dried beans or rice to weight foil down. (May keep dried beans or rice for years to use for same purpose)
Place in oven and bake until pastry dough is set but remains slightly soft, about 10-12 minutes. Remove foil and weighted ingredients and bake another 2-3 minutes until inside of pastry dough is set. Remove and let cool for about 10 minutes. Carefully unmold onto rack to crisp.
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
Place sugar and 1/4 cup water in large saucepan over low heat and dissolve. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush. Boil for about 8 minutes, swirling pan a few times. Do not stir. When sugar is amber colored remove from heat and add cream. Be careful as cream will boil vigorously. Replace pan over low heat and stir caramel until smooth. Add butter, honey, and vanilla. Whisk until thickens slightly. Remove from heat and add chocolates. Whisk again until smooth and stir in nuts. Spread filling in tart shell and chill overnight or at least 3 hours.