Chocolate Walnut Tart
Everyone is always going on and on about pecans and chocolate or peanuts and chocolate or almonds and chocolate, but I think it’s high time we give walnuts their time to shine in the spotlight with chocolate. I’ve always been a fan of that combination, and I’ll admit it’s because my all-time favorite thing at See’s Candy is their Walnut Squares. Which is a walnut caramel dark chocolate fudge square and I can’t get enough. I can eat them by the handful.
This isn’t sponsored at all, although See’s if you’re out there reading this, and want to send me a boatload of your Walnut Squares I would not be mad. And now that I’m going on and on about these squares, I’m realizing that I made a huge mistake with this tart recipe because I should’ve added a layer of caramel to it. Maybe I’ll rework it and we’ll revisit. Although there isn’t any caramel in this Chocolate Walnut Tart, it is still very good. A chocolate shortbread crust filled with a gooey dark chocolate filling and topped with lots and lots of walnuts.
Chocolate Walnut Tart
Equipment
- Mixer
- Saucepan
- Rolling Pin
- Tart pan
Ingredients
Crust:
- 4 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate chopped
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling:
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 ounces walnut halves somewhat chopped
- powdered sugar or ice cream for serving optional
Instructions
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate on high for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave for another 30 seconds, stirring until fully melted. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Beat together the cream cheese and butter on high until light and fluffy. Stir in the cooled chocolate and mix until well combined. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and stir once more. Add the flour and mix until just combined and it comes together to form a rough dough. Form into a disk and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour.
- For the filling, in a medium saucepan, combine the dark chocolate, corn syrup, sugar, butter, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set over moderate heat and cook, stirring often, until melted through and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool, about 10 minutes. Add the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined, smooth and glossy.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Unwrap the chilled dough and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out into a large circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a 10-inch removable bottom tart pan. Press the dough down onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Then press on the sides of the pan, using a rolling pin, to remove any excess hanging dough. Pour the filling into the crust and spread into an even layer. Cover the top completely with the walnuts. Place the tart onto a baking sheet and bake until the center has set, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. You can slice and serve at this point or wrap in plastic and chill until ready to eat. Tart can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days. Enjoy!
