Chocolate
Mexican Chocolate Chess Tart Cake
- Serves 10
Author Notes
The tart has a crisp, buttery crust that could not be easier to make, a smooth, rich filling with the texture of an underbaked brownie and spicy notes of cinnamon and chili, and is topped with lightly flavored sweetened whipped cream. This is my own adaptation of a chocolate chess pie recipe from the blog Ezra Pound Cake. —cheesypennies
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- For the crust
-
1 1/4 cups
flour
-
1/4 cup
sugar
-
1/2 teaspoon
cinnamon
-
1 pinch
salt (generous)
-
1 pinch
espresso powder (generous)
-
1/2 cup
(1 stick) butter, melted
-
1/2 teaspoon
vanilla
- For the Filling and Cinnamon Cocoa Whipped Cream
-
1 1/3 cups
sugar
-
3 tablespoons
(heaping) unsweetened cocoa powder
-
1 teaspoon
(generous) cinnamon
-
1/2 teaspoon
espresso powder
-
1 pinch
(generous) ancho chile powder
-
1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
-
2
eggs, beaten
-
5 ounces
evaporated milk
-
1/4 cup
(1/2 stick) butter, melted
-
1/2 cup
powdered sugar
-
1 teaspoon
unsweetened cocoa powder
-
1 teaspoon
cinnamon
-
1/2 cup
heavy whipping cream
-
1/4 cup
creme fraiche
-
1/2 teaspoon
vanilla
Directions
- To make the crust:
- Combine flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and espresso powder in a mixing bowl. Add the vanilla to your melted butter, stir, then add that to the flour mixture and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until the dough begins to clump up.
- Turn the mixture into a 9 inch springform pan, and using your fingers, press to form an even layer along the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Place the prepared pan in the fridge for about 30 minutes, or as long as overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350. When the oven’s ready, bake the crust for about 15 minutes, until light golden brown. Unlike a standard pie crust, you don't need pie weights, since it shouldn't poof up while it bakes.
- While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. [Note: You can also store the baked crust overnight if you like, and make the rest of the pie the next day.]
- In one bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, espresso powder, chile powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the evaporated milk and the butter. Add liquid mixture to dry mixture, and stir well to combine.
- Pour into prepared crust. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. The tart should be set on the edges and just a little jiggly in the center. Cool completely.
- To make the cinnamon cocoa whipped cream, whisk powdered sugar, cinnamon and cocoa together in a bowl until no lumps remain in the powdered sugar. Reserve 2 Tbs. of this mixture for garnish.
- In a cold mixing bowl, whip the cream and creme fraiche together until soft peaks form. Add the remaining powdered sugar mixture and the vanilla, and beat for just a little longer.
- Spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the cooled tart. Dust with the reserved cocoa sugar, cut into wedges, and serve!
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