Chocolate-Walnut Shortbread Tart

By beltranm

Ingredients

• ½ cup walnuts, plus 16 walnut halves for garnish
• ½ box (1 sleeve of 20 cookies) Lorna Doone (or other shortbread cookies to yield 1¼ cup crumbs)
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 12 ounces semi- or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
• ¾ tsp. instant espresso or coffee

Details

Adapted from usaweekend.com

Preparation

Step 1

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
Toast walnuts over medium heat in a small skillet, shaking or stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Reserving the 16 walnut halves, transfer remaining walnuts to a food processor; process until minced. Add cookies and sugar; process until mixture is finely ground. Drizzle in butter; pulse until just incorporated.
Transfer mixture to an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; tamp crumbs into pan bottom and up the sides. Bake until fragrant and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Meanwhile, place cream, chocolate and espresso in a 1-quart microwave- safe bowl; microwave on high power until cream is hot and chocolate has mostly melted, about 3 minutes. Whisk until chocolate mixture is smooth. Pour into shell and refrigerate until firm or for up to a day ahead. No more than 2 hours before serving, bring tart to room temperature. Garnish with walnut halves, slice and serve.