Chocolate Raspberry Tart – decadent, yet easy to make

As you know I don’t make desserts very often but when I do, it has to be for someone important to me and also it has to have a wow factor. Our sister-in-law’s birthday was last week and we decided to make something special for her. She and her husband are in the midst of remodeling their kitchen including their living & dining room so you can imagine what their house must be like without a kitchen in the middle of a 5 week major project. Yes, she absolutely deserved a very decadent treat on her birthday.

I scoured cookbooks and magazines for something decadent and I stumbled across this chocolate raspberry tart from an old Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food magazine. As you know I’m not much of a baker, but the minute I laid my eyes on the picture I knew I found something really spectacular. I always make a point of reading the on-line reviews and when I saw that one reviewer said, “It was too easy to make for how delicious it was,” that gave me confidence to think that I could pull it off. Plus I knew I could count on a little backup help from Meakin if I got in over my head.

The tart looked every bit as good as it did in the picture in the magazine and it came together as easily as promised. You can make it a day ahead and keep it in the refrigerator, but if you do, add the raspberries at the last minute. A flat-bottom metal 1-cup dry measuring cup is very helpful to press the cookie dough firmly into the tart pan around the edges.

So for all you non-bakers such as myself out there that are looking for an easy and decadent dessert to impress your family or guests, this chocolate raspberry tart is for you.

Chocolate Raspberry Tart
Adapted from Everyday Food by Martha Stewart– serves 9
Printable Recipe

32 chocolate (about 8 ounces) chocolate wafer cookies – I used Nabisco Famous chocolate wafers found in the baking aisle or on-line at Amazon
2 tablespoons sugar
Coarse salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
12 ounces dark chocolate chocolate chips (or semisweet if you prefer)
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
1 ½ cups (6 ounces) fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor, combine cookies, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Process until very fine crumbs form. Add melted butter and pulse until mixture comes together. Press crumbs firmly into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake until crust is dry and set, about 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool.

In a large bowl combine the chocolate chips and a pinch of salt. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a bare simmer over medium-high heat. Take care not to let it boil. Immediately pour cream over chocolate chips and let stand one minute. Stir gently until chocolate melts and mixture is completely smooth. Pour chocolate into cooled tart shell, scatter raspberries on top, and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. To serve, remove tart from pan.

Cook’s notes: Use a flat-bottom metal 1-cup dry measuring cup to press the cookie dough firmly into the tart pan at the edges. Graham crackers can be substituted for the chocolate wafers, but the tart won’t be as intensely chocolate. It can be made one day ahead and kept in the refrigerator, but add the raspberries at the last minute.

This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday at Simple Recipes and Food on Friday at Carole's Chatter.  

Have a great weekend everyone.