Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Tart

Dustin loves chocolate. He doesn't like cake, pie is definitely not his favorite--he is straight chocolate all the way. Because of his no cake/no pie stance on desserts, occasionally I make him something that is all chocolate and just for him.

This Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Tart definitely fits the bill.  It is the perfect dessert for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner at home!  It is rich and chocolaty with the perfect amount of vanilla and espresso powder to amp up the chocolate flavor without overpowering it at all.

We ate half a couple pieces of the tart, and then I took the rest to my grandma's birthday.  My cousin claimed I was magic because the tart is so good. I laughed, but really.  It's like a chocolate truffle coated with extra dark chocolate all wrapped up in crunchy buttery graham cracker crust.

And the chocolate tart simple to make!  It's really just 3 simple steps--no double broiler, no fancy techniques, and a seriously impressive and delicious result!

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Tart Recipe
author: Abby at Happy Food Happy Home
adapted from Epicurious
Serves 8-12

Crust

1 package chocolate graham crackers

3 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons butter

Pinch of salt

A 9 inch tart pan

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until crushed.
3. Add the salt and pulse until combined.
4. In a glass measuring cup, melt the butter and coconut oil together.
5. Pour half the melted butter/coconut oil mixture into the crumbs and pulse until combined. Scrape the bottom of the food processor.
6. Add the remaining butter/coconut oil and pulse into combined.
7. Pour the crust mixture into the tart pan. Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan
• To get firm edges, I press two of my fingers into the flutes all the way around the pan. It’s a little time consuming, but it works!
8. Bake the crust for 10 minutes until it is firm.
9. Remove from oven and set aside. Don’t turn off the oven. 

Filling

1 ¼ cup of heavy cream

9 ounces dark chocolate (60-65 percent), chopped

½ teaspoons espresso powder

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt

1. In a heat proof bowl, sprinkle the espresso powder over the chocolate pieces.
2. Bring the cream to a boil.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and salt.
4. Pour the cream over the chocolate.  Whisk until melted and combined.
5. Add the egg mixture and whisk until combined.
6. Pour into the baked crust.
7. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until the edges are set but the middle still wiggles a bit.
8. Remove from oven and let cool for about 20 minutes until room temperature.
• You can also cool the tart in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

Glaze

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 ¾ ounces chocolate, finely chopped

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1 tablespoon warm water

1. Place the chocolate and the corn syrup in a heat proof bowl.
2. Bring cream to a boil.
3. Pour over the chocolate and corn syrup. Whisk together until combined.
4. Add the water and whisk until thoroughly combined. Try not to incorporate too many air bubbles into the chocolate.
5. Pour the glaze in the middle of the cooled tart. Rotate the tart in a circle to spread the glaze around. You can also use an offset spatula to spread the glaze.
6. Allow the tart to cool and set for approximately 1 hour.
7. Slice into thin pieces and serve!

The Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Tart is a perfect decadent chocolate dessert. It would great to make for a special someone for a Valentine's Day dessert!

How to Make Lattice Top Pie Crust

A lattice top pie looks very beautiful.  All the weaving, and the filling just poking through here and there. Normally it's golden brown and delicious looking.  But it can be a pain the butt.

The weaving is the trick--how do you get the pieces over and under each other without breaking?  The weaving itself might be tricky, but this step by step tutorial of how to make a lattice top pie shows that it's almost easy!  Just a little 'tricky'.

The trick to making a lattice top pie is not actually weaving the strips.  Taking the pie crust and placing and folding it in the weaving pattern makes everything simple, without every having to force one piece of pie crust under another one. 

First you need a delicious flaky pie crust.  Roll the pie crust into a large circle 2-3 inches bigger than your pie dish.  It's better to have strips too long than too short.

Cut the pieces into 1 inch strips.  I used a ruler and a straight edge to help my pieces be evenly sized. You can use a fluted cutter or a straight one. A sharp knife will work just as well. 

After all your pieces are cut take one of the longest pie crust strips and place it vertically (blue) down the middle of the pie.  Space your next vertical strip about 1 inch away.  Repeat with the remaining space on the pie; use shorter pieces as you get farther from the middle.

Now your going to fold your pie strips.  Starting with the middle strip, fold back every other strip across a little more than half the pie.  Place your first horizontal strip (red) across the middle of the pie, on top of the unfolded vertical strips.  

Unfold the vertical strips.  You have 'weaved' your first pie strip.

Fold the vertical pieces you did not fold before.  You should be folding back every other vertical strip over the first horizontal piece.

Place the next horizontal piece across the pie about 1 inch away from the first.  Place it on top of the unfolded vertical strips.  Unfold the vertical strips and repeat.  

Repeat with this half of the pie before turning it around and following the same steps with the other side.

Carefully trim the excess edges off of the strips, going around the pie.  Use a sharp knife to prevent pulling or tearing the pie dough.  Then gently press the edges to adhere, or you can crimp the edges.  Whatever you want!

You pie is ready to bake.  Just cook it to your recipe's specifications.  I love the look of a lattice top pie.  For the longest time I was terrified of trying because I thought it would be too hard.  With this simple method of making a lattice top pie you can totally do it for your next pie!

What's your favorite way to top a pie?  I'm super excited to try new ways soon!

Classic Peach Pie Recipe

This past weekend was my dad's birthday, my grandpa's birthday, and it was Mother's Day.  We had a busy weekend as I'm sure you can imagine!

On Saturday Mom and Dad came to our house for dinner.  We were celebrating Mother's Day and Dad's birthday.  Mom brought steaks, and Dad requested I make peach pie. I couldn't say no to such a delicious sounding request.

Dustin cooked the steaks with Mom's supervisions--it was the first time he's ever cooked steaks on our grill!  And I made twice baked potatoes and grilled asparagus.  And we all salivated over the peach pie that was sitting on the counter just waiting to be eaten.

The peach pie did not disappoint.  It was flavorful and peachy, with a perfect flaky crust from my favorite recipe.  With just a hit of cinnamon and vanilla the peach flavor really came through.  It is a classic peach pie, no updates, no crazy combinations, just peaches and a tiny bit of seasonings to make all the flavors pop.  Truthfully I'm already thinking of when I can make another peach pie.  Memorial Day Weekend anyone?

Classic Peach Pie
author: Happy Food Happy Home
filling adapted from Smitten Kitchen
makes 1 pie

3 1/2 pounds peaches (you'll need about 6 cups peeled and cut)

1 tablespoon lemon juice, (about ½ a lemon)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons corn starch

2 whole unbaked pie crusts
2 tablespoons cream
2-3 teaspoons turbinado sugar

1. Peel your peaches
1. make a small x on the bottom of the peaches.  Boil for 2 minutes and then place in an ice bath for 1 minute. The peaches should peel easily.
2. if your peaches are firm it might be easier to peel with a vegetable peel just like you'd peel an apple.*
2. Cut the peaches into 1/3 inch pieces.**
3. In a large mixing bowl combine the peaches, lemon juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and corn starch. Set aside and prepare your crust.
4. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
5. Lay a ¼ inch thick round of dough in the bottom of your pie pan. *** Trim to fit the pie plate.
6. Pour your filling and all the accumulated juices into the pie crust. 
7. Top with the top crust or make a lattice crust.
1. To make a lattice crust cut strips into 1 inch pieces.  Gently weave the pieces into a lattice top.  (Check back Friday for an easy lattice tutorial!)
2. You can just put a full top on the pie. Make sure to vent the crust with 2 or 3 holes.
8. Gently brush the cream over the top crust.  Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the crust.
9. Place the pie in the oven with a foil lined baking sheet underneath it to catch drips.
10. Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees.
11. After 20 minutes reduce the oven temperature to 375 and bake for 30-40 more minutes until the crust is lightly golden brown and the filling is bubbling all over.  If at any point the crust gets too brown on top tent the pie with foil for the rest of the baking time.
12. When pie is cooked remove from oven.  Let the pie sit for at least 3 hours to allow the filling to set completely.  If you cut the pie before it has set your filling will run everywhere.  But it will still taste delicious. 

Notes

*I boiled my firm peaches and the skin didn't come off. Frustrating, but we peeled them with a vegetable peeler, and that worked fine.  Thank you Dustin for helping!

**Or mangle them into lots of pieces while attempting to cut them and use those pieces.

***I didn't butter my pie pan because my pie crust uses so much butter that it wouldn't dream of sticking to a pie dish. 

This peach pie was great.  I'm still hoarding one piece that I'll probably have when I get home this afternoon.  Right before I head off to the grocery store to stock up on everything.  

Do you love pie? I can'tstopwon'tstop, but Dustin doesn't really like it.  I still have some cherries in the freezer from last year that are calling my name.  Cherry pie is my grandpa's favorite, and mine too.  What is your favorite kind of pie?