Chocolate Tart with Candied Citrus

by cookingwithauntjuju.com

A week ago I posted Candied Citrus for Sweet Desserts and I wanted to give an example of what you can do with these luscious bits of fruit.  From the pretzel crust (salty) to the chocolate filling (sweet) to the candied citrus it was pure heaven!  This recipe is adapted from a The Taste of the South magazine and I have also included a short recipe from Martha Stewart.

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Pretzel Crust

  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup pretzels, crushed finely
  • 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 350 °F.  Spray an 8 x 11-inch tart pan (my pan is non-stick) with a removable bottom with non-stick spray and set aside.

Beat the butter, pretzels and sugar until mixed well using an electric mixer.  Add egg, flour and salt, just mixing until it comes together

Place a large sheet of parchment paper  on a work surface.  Place the dough in the middle of the parchment and top with a second sheet of parchment paper.  Roll dough into a 14 x 11-inch rectangle.  Freeze on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes until firm.

Remove the dough from the freezer and carefully peel off 1 sheet of parchment paper.  Place the exposed dough parchment side up over prepared pan and again peel off the parchment.  Gently press into the bottom of the pan and up the sides.  It will definitely crack and you will need to patch it which is quite easy to do with this dough.  Trim the top and use the pieces to fill in where the crust cracked.  Place a small piece of parchment in bottom of tart shell letting ends extend over edges.  Fill with pie weights or beans.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove pie weights and parchment and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool.  Reduce oven temperature to 250°F (I would increase the temperature to 275°F) and make filling below.

cookingwithauntjuju  http://cookingwithauntjuju.com/2015/02/26/chocolate-tart…candied-citrus/

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Filling for Chocolate Tart

  • 1-1/4 cups heaving whipping cream
  • 1 (12 oz.) package semisweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yolk

In a medium saucepan, heat cream and chocolate stirring until chocolate is melted.  Stir in vanilla and salt and remove from heat.

Beat egg and egg yolk until combined.  Add a small amount of chocolate to temper the eggs, then add the rest of the chocolate mixture slowly using your electric beater.  Beat until combined and pour into cooled crust.

Bake until center of tart  is set 30 minutes or so.  I overcooked it a little but it still was delicious.  Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

cookingwithauntjuju   http://cookingwithauntjuju.com/2015/02/26/chocolate-tart…candied-citrus

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Candied Fruits

  • 3 cups sugar
  • 3 cups water
  • your choice of lemons, oranges, tangerines, mini tangeries or kumquats (for this dessert I chose the mini tangerines on the bottom left and a lemon)
  • I did add 1/2 of a vanilla bean with a few of the seeds

Slice the fruit into thin slices, but not too thin or they will fall apart while cooking.  Of course not too thick or the rinds can be chewy.  I leave the seeds in as they will fall out during cooking and are easier to remove after they have cooked. I prefer to use the small fruits such as kumquats and the mini tangerines for this tart.  Just delicious and they melt in your mouth!  The lemon in the middle of the tart had a rather chewy rind and I did not care for it.

In a large saucepan combine the water and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat, add your citrus slices and simmer until fruit is translucent, about 1 to 2 hours depending on the size of the fruit. For the mini tangerines I did cook them for 2 hours.

Remove fruit from syrup and let drain on a wire rack that you have sprayed with a non-stick spray.  I place the rack over wax paper on top of a baking sheet.  To store, layer between sheets of wax paper until you are ready to assemble the tart.

cookingwithauntjuju   http://cookingwithauntjuju.com/2015/02/26/chocolate-tart…candied-citrus/

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When you are ready to serve, remove the tart from the refrigerator and place on a plate; I used a nice piece of white marble.  Arrange your candied fruit slices on top of the tart as  desired.

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Would you like to try a very simple but special treat using these candied fruits?  As Martha Stewart stated; melt chocolate, preferably semi-sweet, and spread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Cut up the candied fruit into small pieces and place all over the chocolate while still soft.  I did use the mini tangerines and they were just perfect. Refrigerate and when ready to serve, break into shards.  Get ready to lick your fingers as the heat from your hand melts the chocolate 🙂

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I am bringing these chocolate treats to Fiesta Friday #57 where Angie from The Novice Gardener is once again having a big celebration.  Thanks to her co-hosts, this week it is all of us!  What a good idea and I am looking forward to a great party with lots of good posts 🙂

 

58 thoughts on “Chocolate Tart with Candied Citrus”

  3. I’ll never turn down a chocolate dessert and this tart looks like it’s worthy of sneaking a second helping! Delicious flavors. 🙂 I imagine the candied orange gives the tart a nice added zing! Beautiful dessert, Judi!

    Reply

  6. Wow Judi, this tart looks extra special! I had never seen an 8 x 11 tart pan with a removable bottom before. You’ve come up with two beautiful and gorgeous looking desserts. I can only imagine what it would taste like. Chocolate and orange are a marriage made in heaven :). Definitely going to give this a try, well done my friend!

    Reply

    • Thanks so much Loretta – what sweet comments! The tart pan is by Gobel and made in France. I believe I bought it at Williams Sonoma. I was worried about the crust sticking but it popped right out. I hope you do try these recipes; the shards with candied citrus are very easy to do 🙂

      Reply

  9. Wow Judi! This tart with the pretzel crust ,chocolate and candied orange is sensational!

    Reply

  10. Mmm! Judi, I have just discovered that i love salt with chocolate and this is what you get with your pretzel crust! What a beautiful recipe! 😀

    Reply

  16. Yuuuum. 🙂 I love it, Judi. 🙂
    I made many chocolate tarts over the last weeks and I cannot get enough of them. 🙂 I added pears but I love your fresh fruity citrus fruits with it, sounds amazing. 🙂
    Happy FF 🙂

    Reply

  17. Did you find it hard to bite into the fruit Judi? I loved the candied blood orange cake I made but the fruit was hard to bite into but delicious. This looks fantastic! What kind of pretzels?

    Reply

    • Yes and no Johanne. The picture above shows what I used on top of this tart. The mini tangerines turned out beautifully and were not hard to bite into at all. However, the rind on the lemon was not that good (even after cooking for 2 hours). Kumquats are perfect to use as well. The big fruit are more for decoration or just do not eat the rind. Just a bag of Snyder’s Pretzel Snaps 🙂

      Reply

  19. Pingback: Fiesta Friday #57 | The Novice Gardener

      • Thanks for the advice. I remember seeing lots and lots of candied fruits when we visited some of the Arab countries!! And I’m so glad you mentioned how to make candy using the candied peel – I love the ‘zip’ of the candied fruit mixing with the deep, mellow flavor of the chocolate!!

  29. Pingback: Blood Orange Mini Tarts » Giraffes Can Bake

  31. Love the idea of the pretzel crust with chocolate will definately have to try that. Love the blog. I have a perchant for making my chocolate crusts with oreo’s just love the flavour they give especially when combined with salted caramel.

    Reply

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