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Chocolate Tart with Red Wine Syrup

Adapted from Mistral pastry chef Shane Gray

1 1/2 c. chocolate wafer crumbs
1/4 c. unsalted butter, melted
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. milk
10 oz. high-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. table salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Red wine syrup (recipe below)
Unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine crumbs, butter, and cinnamon; press evenly into bottom of 10-inch round tart pan with removable sides. Bake five minutes. Cool completely before using. Do not turn oven off.
2. Meanwhile, in medium heavy-bottomed pot, cook cream and milk over medium-low heat until mixture simmers around edges.
3. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted. Whisk in sugar and salt. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.
4. Pour filling into tart shell and bake until filling is just set and surface is still glossy, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely before serving. 5. Dust very lightly with cocoa powder and serve with red wine syrup.

Red Wine Syrup
1 bottle inexpensive “big” red wine, such as Barolo or zinfandel
1 c. sugar

1. Pour wine into medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and gently simmer until wine reduces to about 1 cup.
2. Stir in sugar and cook until dissolved. Remove from heat and chill in refrigerator until sauce is cold and syrupy.