Expresso Brownie Tart

A recipe from: From the Earth to the Table, John Ash.
Click on the image to go to Amazon.com and buy your copy.

Sharon generally omits the garnish. By the way, We bought our copy of this cookbook at the Fetzer Winery tasting room in Hopland, California. Fetzer hosts a wonderful organic garden there managed by John Ash.

Makes one 8-inch tart

Butter and cocoa powder for dusting the tart pan 1 ½ cups sugar

1/4 cup (½ stick) unsalted butter ½ cup all-purpose flour

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 1/4 teaspoon salt

½ cup cocoa powder 1 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup instant expresso powder 3 large eggs

Optional garnish: powdered sugar, unsweetened whipped cream, and chocolate shavings

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly dust with cocoa powder an 8-inch tart pan; save any excess for the ½ cup needed. Melt the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler and stir in the cocoa powder and expresso powder until smooth. Pour into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a regular electric mixer; at low speed, mix the eggs one at a time, alternating with the sugar. Continue mixing at medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and slat. Fold the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture along with the nuts. Pour into the prepared tart pan and bake for 25 minutes. The tart will be very soft when it comes out of the oven.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Even chilled it will still have a chewy center.

Serve the tart cut into wedges and topped with a sprinkling of powdered sugar, unsweetened whipped cream, and chocolate shavings.