Black Forest Chocolate Truffle Tart Recipe

I’m going to admit it up front: I don’t like hot weather. It makes me sweat, and sweating makes me cranky. Not the pleasant warmth of a kitchen while bread rises in winter — I mean humid, sticky, back-of-the-legs-sticking-to-the-lawn-chair hot, the kind of heat where you could poach an egg on a car hood.

My poor attitude toward sultry summer heat gets worse because The Evil Genius reacts completely differently. He thrives in it. Ninety degrees? He does a happy dance and climbs onto the roof to tackle some intricate job involving wiring and tar. Our metal roof heats like a griddle and he insists on working barefoot so he won’t slip. Ninety-five to one hundred? Even better—he might head out for a double round of golf, walking and carrying his own bag, then come home to dig a ditch in the blazing sun. After nearly fifteen years of marriage, I’m convinced he does it just to watch me get mad. He’s sweaty and cheerful while I become the mean old troll under the bridge. “What’s for dinner?” “Cold salad with cold dressing and some lunch meat. That’s what.”

Heat drains my energy, patience, strength — and most unforgivably — my appetite. It’s the only thing that can shut down my usually insatiable hunger. And that just isn’t cool.

There’s one constant craving that survives any temperature: sweets. But I don’t want to spend extra time standing over anything that’s radiating heat (a.k.a. the oven). So I set out to make a dessert that requires only a microwave and the refrigerator: a sweet, cold, creamy chocolate tart that keeps the kitchen from becoming an inferno. I call it Black Forest Truffle Tart, and it’s exactly what you need when the thermometer makes you grumpy.

This tart starts with an Oreo-style crust — you can buy a pre-made one or make your own in a couple of minutes with no extra heat. It’s cheaper to make it yourself and leaves you with leftover cookies to nibble on later. The filling is a whipped ganache — silky chocolate melted with heavy cream and then chilled and whipped until light and fluffy — topped with sweet black cherry pie filling.

Ganache, in case you don’t know it yet, is chocolate melted with heavy cream and whisked smooth. It’s the base of many truffles and decadent chocolate confections. In its whipped form it becomes a lush, airy filling that still tastes deeply chocolatey.

If you prefer homemade cherry pie filling, that’s wonderful — I make and can my own and plan to share that recipe soon. But if it’s sweltering and you need relief now, a good store-bought cherry pie filling works perfectly.

This tart is excellent chilled, and it’s also delightful at room temperature if your room isn’t a sauna. The chocolate flavor is fuller when it’s closer to room temp, but if you’re wilting in the heat, serve it cold. Either way, it’s rich, so slice thinly. That way you can go back for another piece without guilt. I look out for you, even when I’m sweaty and crabby.

Black Forest Truffle Tart

Ingredients:

• 1 Oreo pie crust (or see the crust recipe below for making your own)
• 1 1/2 cups (12 fl oz) heavy cream
• 12 ounces chocolate chips
• 2 cups chilled sweet cherry pie filling

Place the heavy cream and chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for one minute, then leave the bowl in the microwave with the door closed for five minutes. Remove and whisk until smooth and glossy. It may look separated at first—keep whisking in a circular motion and it will become silky.

Chill the bowl and whisk in the refrigerator. Every fifteen minutes, remove and stir. After about 45 minutes to an hour the ganache should thicken and feel cool all the way through.

Transfer the ganache to the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer). Beat on high just until the ganache becomes fluffy and thickened. Stop before it turns into chocolate butter; you want a light, truffle-like texture.

Spread the whipped ganache into the prepared pie crust and smooth the top. Spread the cherry pie filling over the ganache, then chill the tart until the filling is set, about 30 minutes.

Slice into thin wedges and serve. Whipped cream is optional; the tart is rich and purist enough to be wonderful on its own. For the fullest chocolate flavor, let slices sit at room temperature for ten minutes before serving. If it’s hot out, enjoy it straight from the fridge.

Homemade Chocolate Cookie Crust

Ingredients:

• Half a package of Oreo-style cookies (chocolate cream-filled cookies work well)
• 3 tablespoons melted butter

Crush the cookies in a zipper-top bag or pulse them in a food processor until finely ground. Mix in the melted butter with a fork, then press the mixture into a pie plate or removable-bottom tart pan. No baking required.