Chocolate Ganache Tart

I made two chocolate treats for Valentines’ Day this year. The first one was for the kids. It is relatively easy because you can use your own recipes or even (gasp) boxed cake mix.

I used Betty Crocker’s poundcake mix for the hearts because it is dense. I put plenty of red food coloring in for color. Instead of using a bread pan, I made the cake on a deep cookie sheet. After it was cooled, I took a heart-shaped cookie cutter and pulled out a bunch of hearts.

I stacked the hearts instead of a bread pan and poured my chocolate cake recipe over the hearts. Then baked them. The hearts started to jut out when they were baking, so I used a chocolate cream frosting to cover it.

It was pretty delicious….and fun! A heart in every bite!

Later in the week, I made the chocolate ganache. I read the comments, so I knew how to fix the recipe before beginning. Here it is.

CRUST

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

2½ cups mixed raw nuts (such as walnuts, blanched hazelnuts, pistachios, and/or almonds)

6 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

GANACHE

16 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 cups heavy cream

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1″ pieces

Flaky sea salt

You need a 12″ tart pan with a removable bottom.

Chop the nuts in a Cuisinart until they are almost like a paste. Add sugar and pulse. Then add the butter and pulse. Create a pie crust inside the tart pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until browned.

Just before the cream begins to boil, add the chocolate and take it off the heat. Let it stand for a few minutes. Add butter. Swirl around with a spatula. Add in some salt.

Pour this into the tart crust. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top. Put in the fridge, uncovered for an hour or more to set. Delicious….and rich!