Let Them Eat Tart

If there was any truth to the story that Marie Antoinette callously uttered, “Let them eat cake,” during a bread shortage centuries ago (which most historians now agree is untrue), perhaps she would approve of this Chocolate Tart. I was preparing for a dinner party with friends last Saturday, and realized as I was rummaging through the pantry that I had my own flour shortage. My visions of a lofty cake suitable for a first blog-versary fizzled quickly, and I had to think fast, as I was short on time. There would be no last minute runs to the grocery store; I had to make something for dessert with the materials at hand.

I knew I wanted rich and chocolate-y, and with a few scant graham cracker crumbs and almond meal, I fashioned this Chocolate Tart with and Almond-Graham Crust. Made without heavy cream, this tart actually uses half and half, more out of necessity than simple substitution (again, no cream in the fridge!), but I do love how it turned out. As I took my third bite of the rich, creamy tart with its almond-nutty crust, I smiled to myself. This tart is exactly the kind of dessert I wanted to share with you this week, after all.

And now…for a little more blog birthday fun…I am happy to share a giveaway sponsored by CSN stores. Their network of over 200 online stores has anything you might need, from wall art and decor, to whimsical dinnerware, to cutting boards (psst, they carry my favorite brand). Enter for a chance to win a $35 gift certificate, and treat yourself and your kitchen!

Here’s how to enter:

Leave a comment on this post, and let me know, what is your favorite birthday dessert?
Entries/Comments accepted until 10 pm Pacific, Saturday, 5 February, 2011.
One winner will be randomly selected and announced on 6 February, 2011.
This contest is open to US and Canadian residents only, my apologies to my other international friends!

Now of course, please, have a slice of this chocolate tart. Thank you all for celebrating with me!

Chocolate Tart {with Almond-Graham Crust}

Makes one 9-inch tart.

Crust

¾ cup almond meal
½ cup graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling

1 cup half and half
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Preheat oven 350°F.

For crust, mix together almond meal, graham cracker crumbs, sugar. Add melted butter and mix well. Press mixture into a tart pan, using a measuring cup to press firmly on the bottom and up the sides. Bake for about 10 minutes. Cool before filling.

Over medium-low heat, bring half and half to a light simmer. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate. Whisk in sugar, vanila extract and salt until smooth. Whisk eggs separately, then add to chocolate, whisking well until fully incorporated. Pout into cooled crust.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until set. Cool completely before serving. Garnish with whipped cream or powdered sugar.

by Liren on February 2, 2011

44 Comments

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Tiffany — February 2, 2011 @ 6:55 am (#
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This looks so rich and decadent! And my fav. birthday dessert is fruit tart!
Brian @ A Thought For Food — February 2, 2011 @ 6:58 am (#
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This is so beautiful! I need to make a chocolate tart. Maybe for valentine’s day this year!

My favorite birthday dessert is definitely cheesecake. But, really, I’ll take cheesecake anytime, any place.
Tracey@TangledNoodle — February 2, 2011 @ 7:09 am (#
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Happy 1st Blog Birthday! What a wonderfully delicious way to kick off the celebration – looks positively luscious. Wishing you many more years of happy blogging and good food!
Becky — February 2, 2011 @ 7:29 am (#
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Happy Blog-Birthday!! Your tart is beautiful! It looks so chocolaty. My favorite birthday treat is home made white cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream
briarrose — February 2, 2011 @ 7:29 am (#
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What a pretty tart. Great last minute scramble. ;)
fokxxy — February 2, 2011 @ 7:54 am (#
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My birthday is in the summer. I love ice cream cake!!
Theresa — February 2, 2011 @ 8:30 am (#
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This sounds yummy! I can wait to try it!
My favorite birthday dessert is my mom’s chocolate cake, she has been making it for me every birthday as far back as I can remember. Now she makes it for my husband and my kids too!
domestic diva — February 2, 2011 @ 8:39 am (#
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My favorite is ice cream. In any form. Yum!
Fresh and Foodie — February 2, 2011 @ 9:03 am (#
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Half and half, chocolate, eggs…how bad could it be?! Looks wonderful. Would love a piece of this right now.
Kizzy — February 2, 2011 @ 9:13 am (#
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Definitely cheese cake!
Roxan — February 2, 2011 @ 9:14 am (#
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My favorite birthday dessert is Ube Cake from red ribbon bakery! It’s the best, so moist and delicious.

I hope I win this giveaway! I’ve entered so many but I’ve never won one. Keeping my fingers crossed……..
Kristine — February 2, 2011 @ 9:49 am (#
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I need to live close to you so I can drop by for these delicious meals you prepare :). My favorite birthday treat is tres leches cake! (It’s my favorite dessert all around!)
Steph@stephsbitebybite — February 2, 2011 @ 10:28 am (#
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This sounds so decadent! Perfect for Valentine’s Day!
fooddreamer — February 2, 2011 @ 10:44 am (#
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Happy blogoversary! I am rather glad you had no flour because you came up with this beautiful dessert. My favourite birthday treat is not cake, I prefer something like ice cream cake. Or pecan pie…mmmm pecan pie!
Stephanie G — February 2, 2011 @ 11:52 am (#
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I love that this is on a graham cracker crust, my favorite!! It looks absolutely divine and relatively easy to make. I think my favorite birthday treat are cupcakes but I’m going to have to make this for someone special’s birthday…but dark chocolate!
Vicki @ Wilde in the Kitchen — February 2, 2011 @ 11:57 am (#
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Happy blog birthday! Sometimes some of the best recipes come out of necessity! The tart looks delicious!
Isabelle — February 2, 2011 @ 12:33 pm (#
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I thought I was skilled at whipping out gourmet treats from a nearly-bare pantry, but clearly I was wrong. This dessert totally takes the cake… errr… tart. :)
Happy blogoversary! My favourite birthday dessert is flourless chocolate cake, preferably with a big dollop of whipped cream and some fresh berries. As far as I’m concerned, a cake isn’t a birthday cake until you add chocolate.
heather — February 2, 2011 @ 3:19 pm (#
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A glorious dessert save! I don’t know that I have one particular favorite birthday dessert, but I like simple things. Even a few squares of amazing dark chocolate with a sweet, ice cold Muscat would be perfect.

Cheers to year two,

*Heather*
Ashley — February 2, 2011 @ 5:51 pm (#
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I love red velvet cake.
Hester aka The Chef Doc — February 2, 2011 @ 7:39 pm (#
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This is fabulous! Rich, decadent, sinful… you’re rocking your world!
Sara @CaffeIna — February 2, 2011 @ 9:52 pm (#
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you know I’m not a big chocolate fan but that crust sounds fantastic. I love recipes made up with what is in the pantry! They force us to be even more creative than usual. As per my favorite birthday dessert….I think I will have to say torta della nonna…Italian, of course :)
Happy bloganniversary!
Mdivani — February 2, 2011 @ 11:20 pm (#
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Happy Birthday!!! It has been a remarkable year on your site, full of yummy stuff and love! My favorite Birthday dessert is a Classic White Cake with White Frosting and Colored Icing decoration!!
XOXO
MM
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen — February 3, 2011 @ 1:22 am (#
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The tart turned out beautifully! I’m sure using half and half makes the filling lighter and less filling, which is always a good thing because that means you can eat more! My favorite birthday dessert is a good old fashioned yellow cake with chocolate frosting, it just reminds me of childhood.
Lourdes — February 3, 2011 @ 2:58 am (#
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Gorgeous tart! My very favorite Birthday dessert is vanilla ice cream sundae with homemade hot fudge without corn syrup.
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Stephanie @ okie dokie artichokie — February 3, 2011 @ 6:15 am (#
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Gosh, anything with chocolate and an almond crust has GOT to be good. I love that combo.
Paula - bell'alimento — February 3, 2011 @ 6:32 am (#
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I still can’t believe you’re only ONE ; ) You look marvelous! And this tart oh my goodness this could totally be my new favorite birthday treat!
Priscilla - She's Cookin' — February 3, 2011 @ 9:44 am (#
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Didn’t really have a favorite birthday treat – until now ;) Really, not a big cake love and your tart is concentrated chocolate goodness! I think this is going on the menu for Valentine’s Day – and with half & half, which I usually sub for heavy cream out of choice and have never been disappointed either.
Kate @ Diethood.com — February 3, 2011 @ 9:51 am (#
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What?!? It’s not true? ;-) I did though think highly of her because of that statement!

Happy Blogoversary! What a wonderful way to celebrate… I love everything about this treat – from the top down to the crust!! Delicious!
A Canadian Foodie — February 3, 2011 @ 12:52 pm (#
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Happy Birthday to you – Let them eat tart, indeed. And a little chocolate, too!
:)
vaelrie
Monet — February 3, 2011 @ 10:03 pm (#
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Happy Blog Birthday! I love how you used what you had on hand to create this tart. Thank you for sharing yet another delicious and beautiful recipe. I hope you have a fabulous Friday and a relaxing weekend!
PS. My favorite birthday recipe? Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting.
Carolsue — February 3, 2011 @ 11:50 pm (#
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My favorite birthday dessert is white cake with raspberry filling
digicat {AT} sbcglobal {DOT} net
Jennai — February 3, 2011 @ 11:51 pm (#
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Burnt almond cake and ice cream is my favorite birthday dessert
HobartsMama {AT} AOL.COM
Mardi@eatlivetravelwrite — February 4, 2011 @ 5:27 am (#
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My favourite birthday dessert would have to be a lemon cake, though a chocolate tart would come close! Happy 1st birthday and looking forward to many more posts!
Lindsey — February 4, 2011 @ 6:09 am (#
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Looks ABSOLUTELY divine, I must try this!
I’d say my favorite birthday dessert is some kind of chocolate peanut butter pie :) It was served at a dinner my parents threw for my birthday one year and it has remained a favorite!

I know I’m international but if I win, I’ll share it with my mother who is in the states!
Lindsey @ Gingerbread Bagels — February 4, 2011 @ 9:42 am (#
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What an incredibly gorgeous tart! The photo is just stunning.

My favorite birthday dessert is chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream. I’m all about chocolate! :)
Joy — February 4, 2011 @ 11:56 am (#
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Great tart. It looks wonderful.
Becca — February 4, 2011 @ 8:27 pm (#
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Happy birthday to your blog! You’ve done a FABULOUS job and I can’t wait to see you enter the “terrible twos” :-)

My favorite birthday treat… hmm….ANYTHING with Nutella or chocolate, please! :-)
Lindsey @ Hot Polka Dot — February 4, 2011 @ 9:56 pm (#
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Happy birthday to your wonderful blog! Hot Polka Dot’s blog birthday is next thursday. What a coincidence!

My favourite birthday dessert has always been ice cream cake. Maybe from Baskin Robins or Dairy Queen with that delicious fudge cookie layer. Mmm!
Clarkie @ Beloved Green — February 5, 2011 @ 8:38 am (#
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I love pumpkin cheese cake for my birthday dessert. Birthday is near Thanksgiving, so right in season.
JulieD — February 5, 2011 @ 9:01 am (#
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My birthday was this past Monday and I had fried cheesecake…it was so good! I love to decorate cakes but I like non-traditional cakes for my birthday. Last year it was fried tempura ice cream…amazing!
timlee — February 5, 2011 @ 11:05 am (#
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My favorite birthday food is a crispy roast duck. But if we’re talking something sweet then I’ll have to go with green tea ice cream or a seasonal fruit tart. Yay for giveaways! =)
Liz M. — February 5, 2011 @ 11:22 am (#
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Flourless chocolate cake! I love flourless chocolate cake! And that tart looks amazing! Recipe definitely bookmarked!!!
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