Brownie Puddle Tart

By akselden

Ingredients

• BROWNIE:
• 1 cup pecan pieces or coarsely chopped pecans
• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 (3 ounce) bar bittersweet chocolate, preferably Lindt Excellence or ValRhona Caracque, broken into squares
• 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa, preferably fine quality
• Dutch-processed lightly spooned into cup
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 large eggs ( 4-5 fluid ounces)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• Pinch salt
• Ganache Puddle:
• 2/3 3-oz bar bitterweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 liquid cup heavy cream (room temperature)

Preparation

Step 1

Grease removable bottom of 9 1/2-inch tart pan; line greased bottom with parchment, . then lightly spray parchment with Baker's Joy or nonstick vegetable shortening. (A 9- inch parchment circle is perfect; it prevents most leaks by going up past the slightly smaller bottom.) Place prepared pan on cookie sheet to catch any leaks that do occur. Brownie: Toast pecans on cookie sheet, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely. In double boiler over hot water or microwave proof bowl, melt butter and chocolate, stirring 2 or 3. times. Beat in cocoa, then sugar, beating until it's incorporated (If you are doing by hand, use whisk.) Beat in eggs and vanilla. When incorporated, beat in cream cheese until only small bits remain. Add flour and salt and mix only
until flour is fully moistened. Stir in nuts; scrape batter into prepared pan and spread evenly; it will fill pan almost to top. In 325°F oven, bake 30 to 35 minutes or until batter has set and toothpick inserted 1 inch from side comes out clean. Mixture will puff and rise a little above sides but will sink on cooling.
Ganache Puddle: While brownie is baking, prepare puddle. Melt chocolate in microwave, using 15-second bursts on high power and stirring several times, or in double boiler over hot but not simmering water, stirring occasionally. Add cream and stir gently until mixture is smooth and dark, If necessary (if cream was too cold and mixture not entirely smooth), return to heat until mixture is totally fluid and uniform in color.
As soon as brownie is removed from oven, grease end of 1/2 inch diameter wooden spoon handle and insert into brownie all the way to bottom at 1-inch intervals, twisting slightly as you insert and withdraw it, creating 23-28 little holes. Using small spoon to pour or zip seal bag with small piece of corner cut off fill holes with ganache until slightly rounded.
Place pan of brownies on wire rack and cool completely. Chocolate puddles will sink in as brownie cools; more ganache can be added to fill in depressions as long as brownie is still warm enough to melt it. (You can set tart under lamp to heat ganache puddles and make them smooth)
Unmold by placing pan on canister smaller then opening for loose bottom and pressing sides firmly down. To remove parchment, refrigerate tart or allow it to sit at room temperature until puddles are firm to touch. Cover flat plate with plastic wrap, spray it lightly with non stick vegetable spray, and set on top of tart. Invert tart; peel off parchment, then reinvert brownie onto serving plate. To serve, use thin sharp knife to cut wedges.