Chocolate Budino Tart with Olive Oil and Sea Salt

Can you imagine taking chocolate, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt and coming up with a decent dessert? Well how about one that is simply amazing? As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program I recently received samples of Crisco's Olive Oil varieties and wanted to find a recipe that really showed off the great flavor. This tart contrasts the sweetness of the chocolate and the savory flavors of the olive oil and sea salt resulting in a deep flavor that I never would have expected.


I used the Crisco 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil but the other varieties, Pure and Light, would have worked as well although they do have specific uses that they work best with. Crisco has a great page you can use to determine which Olive Oil to use here.

If you're hesitant to try this, trust me, I was with you too. I wasn't sure that the flavors would work or that the Olive Oil would overpower the chocolate, but somehow it all just comes together. And if you're still too chicken, just make the chocolate tart itself. It's well worth it.

Chocolate Budino Tart with Olive Oil and Sea Salt
adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking

Ingredients
Rich Tart Pastry (see recipe below)
2 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
6 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature and cut into pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Sea salt, such as Hawaiian red, for sprinkling

Directions
Prepare the Rich Tart Pastry and refrigerate to chill as directed. Roll out the dough and line a 9 inch tart pan or six 3.5 inch tartlet pans with removable bottom and prebake partially. Leave the prebaked crust on the sheet pan for filling and baking.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

To make the filling, place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over (not touching) barely simmering water. Heat, stirring often, until the chocolate melts. Remove from over the water and set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, cocoa powder and vanilla. Stir together until the cocoa powder dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

Using a food processor, process the eggs and sugar until smoothly blended and slightly lightened in color, about 15 seconds. Add the cream cheese and process until smooth, about 15 seconds more. Add the melted chocolate and process until smoothly incorporated, about 5 seconds. Stir the chocolate mixture into the sour cream mixture. Divide the batter evenly among the partially baked tart/tartlet shells.

Bake just until the filling is set, about 25-30 minutes for the large or 20 minutes for the small. Transfer the half-sheet pan to a wire rack and let the tarts cool for about 1 hour. The tarts can be covered and refrigerated overnight. Slice the tart and drizzle each slice with olive oil, sprinkle with a few grains of sea salt, and serve cold or at room temperature.

Rich Tart Pastry

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions
Sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Scatter the butter pieces in flour and using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until it resembles large peas.

In a small bowl, lightly beat egg yolks and then blend in heavy cream. drizzle the egg mixture over flour mixture and stir together until it comes together into a ball.

On a work surface, shape the dough into a six inch disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 45 min.