You know how sometimes you’re thumbing through past issues of cooking magazines at the Sunday breakfast table when you’re slapped in the face by a dessert you somehow overlooked?
(Let’s just pretend that doesn’t sound crazy.)
I was set to make an apple tart yesterday when that very thing happened to me. I came across the recipe for this tart, and it immediately erased any longing for apple and replaced it with three words: chocolate, lavender, honey. Oh this tart.
What a combination! Floral, sweet, a touch of bitterness. Doesn’t it sound deliciously complicated? Well it’s not. You’ll whip this up with 30 minutes of hands-on work, but it’ll taste like you slaved away for hours.
Then you’ll be so grateful that I periodically review every culinary magazine I’ve ever bought. You know, just in case I missed something.
Chocolate Tart with Lavender and Honey
Recipe from Bon Appétit, April 2008. Makes 10–12 servings.
You’ll need:
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 5 ounces chocolate graham crackers
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons dried lavender blossoms
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick vegetable oil spray.
- In the food processor, grind graham crackers with 3 tablespoons butter and honey until fine crumbs form. Press crumbs firmly and evenly onto bottom (not up sides) of tart pan.
- Bake about 10 minutes, and let cool.
- In a small saucepan, bring cream and lavender just to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes longer.
- Pour chocolate chips into a medium saucepan. Strain hot cream mixture over chocolate, discarding the lavender buds. Stir over medium-low heat just until smooth and melted.
- Add cocoa powder and last tablespoon of butter; stir until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture evenly over crust in the tart pan. Chill 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how firm you want the filling. Cut tart into wedges and serve. Note: You can make this tart one day in advance. Cover and keep chilled, letting it stand at room temperature for one hour before serving.
