Bittersweet Chocolate Truffle Tart

Sheila Ballweg-Pulju and I have been friends for over 30 years. She’s an excellent cook and baker. This is one of her favorite chocolate recipes — it’s easy to prepare yet yields a gourmet-quality dessert. She recalls that one of her former teaching colleagues passed it on to her several years ago after she found it in Alice Medrich’s “Cocolat: Extraordinary Chocolate Desserts.” It’s definitely over the top! Delight in every mouthful! CJK

Bittersweet Chocolate Truffle Tart

(Sheila Ballweg-Pulju)

Graham cracker crust:

1 pkg. graham crackers (9 double crackers)

3 tbsp. sugar

6 tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Finely crush the graham crackers. Combine them with the sugar and butter. Pat the mixture into a 10 x 1-inch circular tart pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Cool.

Filling:

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

Microwave the chocolate in a heatproof bowl at 50 percent power for 3 minutes. (This will help prevent lumps when adding the cream.)

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Let it sit for 30 seconds. Gently stir the mixture until smooth — take care not to beat it too hard.

Pour mixture into the tart shell. Chill for 3 to 4 hours before serving.

Yield: 12 to 16 servings

A note from Sheila: Cut very thin slices when serving, as this tart is deliciously rich.

A note from Carol: Sheila was a special education teacher in the St. Cloud (Minnesota) School District for 33 years, retiring in 2008. She and her husband, Richard Pulju, are members of St. Boniface Church in Cold Spring, Minnesota. Her interests include volunteering for her parish, cooking, decorating, gardening, playing the piano, golfing and enjoying time with their three grandchildren: Caroline (8) and Matthew and Vivian (both nearing the age of 6.)