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Simple Holiday Traditions

For most of us, the holidays are not always as relaxing as we’d like them to be. This is especially true if you are the one hosting the holiday meals and all of the out-of-town family members eating said meals.

Stress is hard to avoid in the days leading up to holidays, such as Thanksgiving, but there are ways you can make the season fun… like having the meal catered. Kidding.

Around here we embrace holiday traditions to reduce stress and infuse fun into the day. One of our favorite traditions is cooking together as a family. It’s not everyday that you can share the kitchen with three or more generations, but when the occasion presents itself, we often make the following mouthwatering holiday dessert:

CHOCOLATE TART

Ingredients:

For Crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

4 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg, beaten slightly

1 tablespoon cold water

For Filling:

8 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

For Crust:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Add the butter slowly with your fingers until the dough looks crumbly.

Add the egg and 1 tablespoon water; mix with a fork until the dough just holds together. (If the dough won’t come together, add a little bit more water.) Don’t overmix; the dough should feel a bit sticky.

Shape the dough into a 6-inch disc.

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll the dough out into a 1 1/2-inch circle.

Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Refrigerate.

Line the tart shell with aluminum foil and dried beans and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.

For Filling:

Finely chop chocolate and place in a medium bowl and set aside.

Combine the heavy cream and milk in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate. Allow to stand for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate, then whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.

Allow mixture to cool for 10 minutes.

Whisk the egg into the chocolate mixture. Pour the filling into the prebaked tart shell.

Bake the tart at 325-degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges of the filling are set; the center will still be soft.

Cool the tart on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Serve warm as is or with your favorite ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

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This entry was posted in Holidays by Michele Cheplic. Bookmark the permalink.

About Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. She spent the next ten years as a television anchor and reporter at various stations throughout the country (from the CBS affiliate in Honolulu to the NBC affiliate in Green Bay). She has won numerous honors including an Emmy Award and multiple Edward R. Murrow awards honoring outstanding achievements in broadcast journalism. In addition, she has received awards from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for her reports on air travel and the Wisconsin Education Association Council for her stories on education. Michele has since left television to concentrate on being a mom and freelance writer.