Coffee Break - Chocolate Espresso Tart Recipe

Most coffee lovers are familiar with the story of Kaldi, that infamous goatherd in 9th century Ethiopia, who accidentally discovered coffee while watching his goats dance, after eating the raw berries. Soon, he, too, was eating the berries and dancing among the goats. While I tend to become quite excited about coffee, I have not yet taken to dancing after enjoying it, neither in beverage, nor dessert form.

So today, while listening to my beloved BBC Radio (Mozart), I decided to make a Chocolate Espresso Tart (having been inspired earlier in the morning by the Quotation of the Day on The Old Foodie). Although it is not necessarily a difficult recipe, it is somewhat time consuming. Such a rich, decadent dessert seemed appropriate for this musical afternoon. And while this slice of my decorated tart may not be as pretty as Martha's, after the first taste, I was dancing around my kitchen, just like Kaldi!


Chocolate Espresso Tart
(recipe courtesy of www.marthastewart.com)
For the Ganache:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent cacao), chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons good-quality ground espresso beans
For the Tart Shell:
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for parchment paper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
3 tablespoons heavy cream
For the Filling:
1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese


1. Make the ganache: Put chocolate into a medium heatproof bowl, and set aside. Bring cream and espresso to a boil in a small pan. Pour through a fine sieve over the chocolate; discard solids. Let stand 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours.