(Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4fbOGxiFDc )
It seems fairly easy on the video and, in fact, it was. I had some problems with the mechanics of the recipe, though. I think I may need look into making more tarts. I've never understood the difference between a tart and a pie, really.
I went out this weekend and bought a tart pan because, although I had a springform pan, I didn't have a tart pan. The tart pan I bought has a removeable bottom, and straight-ish fluted sides. It's red. It's not like the one in the video, which is rectangular. I'd never seen a rectangular tart pan before. I looked online at the department stores in my area for a rectangular one, but there were none in stock. Most stores only offered one or two tart pan options and all of those were round. I wanted to make the thing this past weekend, so ordering it from someplace was right out.
The filling is a basic ganache (you pour hot cream over chocolate bits, let sit for a minute, stir/whisk to combine, and that's it.). The recipe called for about a 1:1 ratio on the chocolate to cream (1 cup each). Some comments on the recipe stated a problem with the filling not setting up. I looked up the ratio for ganaches, and increased the amount of chocolate to about a 2:1, instead. No problems with it setting up. I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips, the 60% cacao ones...the recipe advocated a 70 to 73% cacao, but in my opinion, that is a bit too bitter for the taste I'm looking for. Also, then I'd have to chop the chocolate, which is why I use chocolate chips in the first place, and chips melt better.
It was the crust that gave me problems. The recipe calls for 32 oreos (or joe-joes, or hydroxes, or whatever black chocolate sandwich cookie suits your fancy on the packaged cookie aisle.). You dump them in the food processor, whirl them to crumbs, add a stick of melted butter, combine and press into the tart pan. The recipe says you should freeze the crust, which I did, and then add the chocolate filling.
I did not add strawberries or the chopped nuts that the recipe calls for. They are just a topping. Some people at my house won't eat fruit that's put into a recipe. (O! the horrors!) Strawberries are expensive and it's a little early in the season yet.
When I tried to unmold the tart, the crust crumbled. The sides stuck to the pan. I did spray the pan before I put the crust in. I think I may need to spray the sides more, and maybe put a round of parchment in the bottom.
The filling only reached halfway up the crust, so I may have needed to make more filling. The volume of the rectangular pan (5 x 14) is probably less than the 9" round pan...I don't know. I think the top of the tart should be nearly even with the sides--that may address some of the crumbling issues, but not all of them.
It was very edible. It's VERY rich, of course...you need to have black coffee handy for this and eat it slooooowly, one bite at a time. The crumbly crust only added impetus to make it disappear.
I think part of my problem with the crust could be solved by baking it for about 10 minutes or so, similar to what I've done when making cheesecake. It needs to adhere to the filling, not to the pan, and making sure the filling goes nearly to the top of the shell would help with that, too.
Other cookie crust recipes call for less butter, less cookies, etc. I will have to research this a bit more.
Taste-wise, it was very good...it may have needed a bit of salt or something to bring out the chocolate tang more. Maybe some chilis...but then that may be a bit too wild for some people. It's also better eaten at room temperature. I cut very thin slices...there's still a few left, if you believe it. You can't eat more than one sliver of it a day, it's really that good.
