chocolate chipotle tart with a shortbread crust.

This was a contribution to my company’s (an internet marketing agency) fiesta-inspired pot luck last weekend.  I’m glad I still get invited to these work things, even though I went from full time to part time to even parter-time (I’m totally going to make that a real phrase).  But I’m kinda having this fling with a co-worker (my husband)…so they let me come along to extra curricular events.

Anyway, fiesta pot luck.  Ok, so I brought this chocolate tart. There are chocolate tarts…and then there’s this chocolate tart, which is a bit spicy with just a hint of chipotle chile.

The shortbread crust is super simple to make and easy to get into a tart pan since it’s so soft.  If you’re like me and totally inept at making regular pie crusts, you’ll appreciate this cookie dough-esque crust.

The filling is made in a blender or food processor – chocolate, cream, sugar, egg and chipotle chile.  Have I mentioned I’m really big into making stuff in blenders and food processors these days?  So easy, you just have to be ready to clean a few extra pieces.

With this one I served homemade cinnamon whipped cream on the side – just added a little cinnamon and sugar to whipped up cream.

Divine.

Chocolate Chipotle Tart with a Shortbread Crust

(12 servings)

What You’ll Need:

For the crust:

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

For the filling:

1 cup cream

2 tablespoons sugar

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 large egg, lightly whisked

1 teaspoon chopped chipotle chile (I use the kind from the can, usually freezing it as a little goes a long way)

Optional toppings – toasted nuts, dried cherries, whipped cream

Instructions:

For the crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and put oven rack in the lowest position.

Blend first 4 ingredients in a bowl until well blended.  Add the flour and stir until just blended.  The dough will be quite soft.   Press the dough into a 9″ tart pan, or into individual tart pans. evenly across the bottom and up the sides.

Put pan on a baking sheet, and bake about 15 minutes, until crust is golden.

For the filling:

Heat the cream in the microwave until just about boiling  Put the chocolate and sugar into a blender or food processor.  Pour the scalding cream into the blender and turn it on, blending until smooth.  Add the egg (be careful not to cook the egg by adding it without blending immediately) and finally add the chipotle chile until combined.

When crusts are done, take them out of the oven and turn the oven off.  Pour the filling into the tart, and return to oven for 10 minutes, just until the filling starts to crust around the edge.  Most of the center should still be liquid when you move the tart around a bit.  Let the tart cool on a rack until cool. As it gets colder, it will set up to perfection.

If desired, top with toasted nuts and dried cherries or serve with cinnamon whipped cream.

TOTAL:  $4.84 or $.40 per serving.*

Nutrition:

308 calories per serving

19 grams of fat

32 carbs

4 grams protein

1 gram fiber