NELLIE’S CHOCOLATE WALNUT CARAMEL TART

By Vanetta

Chez Julie, February 20, 2005
Yield: One 11” tart OR two smaller tarts (7” OR 9”); also works for individual tarts. Use pans with removable bottoms.

This recipe came from Susan Hauser, English Professor at BSU, who got the recipe from the pastry cook at Tutto Bene before she retired. Susan gave it to me, saying “Here is the recipe. And thank you for your steadiness (in act and spirit) in the face of the constant and ever-urgent demands of your job!” 1.28.10

Ingredients

• ingredients (put in bowls) for the filling and set next to stove (they need to be added quickly):
• Preparing the crusts Crusts can be made while the prepared filling is cooling.
• 2 2 2 cups flour
• 1/2 1/2+ 1/2+ tsp. salt
• 3/4 3/4 3/4 cup cold butter cut into chunks
• 3 3 1 2 3 wine (or 1 Tbsp. lemon juice + 2 Tbsp. water, or 3 Tbsp. water)
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 cup egg yolks (about three large)
• Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
• Make a well in the flour and put in butter, egg yolks and liquid.
• Fold liquids into the flour: first pull the flour over the liquids from the sides, then work together using hands or pasty cutter. Work the dough as little as possible but until it is uniform.
• OR
• Mix the flour and salt together in mixer bowl or food processor.
• Add butter, yolks and liquid and mix or process minimally.
• Finish mixing using hands. Work the dough as little as possible but until it is uniform.
• Shaping the crusts
• Press the dough together into a ball and separate it into two parts, one slightly larger than the other.
• to to the larger dough ball to use for the bottom crust and put into pan lifting sides up a little and pressing them into the pan, to accommodate shrinkage.
• to second crust to fit over tart.
• Cover both crusts until needed.
• Preparing the filling
• 1 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup cool or tepid water
• 1 1 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 3/4 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 3/4 3/4 3/4 tsp. salt (put in dish with chocolate chips)
• 3 1/4 3 1/4 1/4 cups walnuts (almost one pound)
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup butter
• 4 1/2 4 1/2 1/2 tablespoons honey
• Caramelize the sugar:
• 1 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup cool or tepid water
• 1 in & stir constantly: 1 cup heavy cream
• Quickly add, stirring & folding until ingredients are well-integrated; keep bubbling (lower temp if necessary) & cook five minutes or so at a good bubble:
• 3/4 3/4 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 3/4 3/4 3/4 tsp. salt (put in dish with chocolate chips)
• 3 1/4 3 1/4 1/4 cups walnuts (almost one pound)
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup butter
• 4 1/2 4 1/2 1/2 tablespoons honey
• While the filling is cooling, prepare or finish the crusts.
• to 350. to filling is cooling, and before starting crusts, start oven preheat to 350. (It takes about an hour to properly preheat an oven.)
• to to filling is more or less cool, spoon into tart shell, pressing down to fill spaces. Do not overfill the mold – just to level with the top of the pan.
• to the top crust over the filling and run thumb or finger around the rim to remove the excess dough.
• Chilling and baking the tart; preparing chocolate drizzle
• 20 uncovered tart in refrigerator for 20 minutes; preheat oven, if not started earlier.
• 350 25 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until filling bubbles out and crust is lightly browned.
• Prepare chocolate drizzle while tart bakes:
• 1/3 1/3 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• 1 1 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1-3 1-3 1-3 tsp. water
• 1/3 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 Tbsp. butter in a measuring cup or glass dish. Set on top of the oven (I put it on the burner that vents the oven). It will be melted by the time the tart is done.
• Finishing the tart
• to the chocolate and butter drizzle to blend well.
• 1 to 1 to water (start with 1 tsp., up to 1 Tbsp. or so) until mixture is thin enough to drizzle over the tart with a spoon.
• to the tart is done baking, set it on a rack to cool.
• While it is cooling but still hot, drizzle the chocolate in a pleasing zigzag or circular pattern over the crust.
• Chilling and serving the tart; optional freezing
• to to tart is slightly cool, return it to the refrigerator to chill completely. Serve cold.
• Chill before removing from pan. If it sticks, put in freezer for a bit.
• The baked can tart be frozen (works well).

Preparation

Step 1