Baking, Sweet Stuff
Chocolate Bourbon Tart with Pretzel Crust
Okay Kids. This is it! Round Three of the Saucy Mama Mustard’s “SLICED” contest…dessert using MUSTARD!
Yes, that’s right. Dessert using mustard. I never thought I would make it this far in the contest but from the beginning, I had the end in mind and it’s this dessert.
I made it through the first two rounds – the first round of appetizers with my Cheddar Bacon Biscuits and the second round of entrees with Mustard Glazed Beef Tenderloin and Green Bean Salad. All using these delicious Saucy Mama Mustards. (Check out the other blogger’s entries here – they all look delicious!)
This round certainly was challenging and I had to stretch my imagination to incorporate mustard into a delicious dessert. I kept thinking what goes good with mustard – pretzels! What goes good with pretzels? Chocolate! (I love chocolate ice cream with pretzels!) And what goes good with chocolate? Bourbon!
Think about it – a decadent, rich chocolate mousse filling complimented by a salty pretzel crust, topped with more salty pretzels and a drizzled glaze of yes….MUSTARD!
And let us not forget the secret ingredient for this round – BOOZE!
At the suggestion of my friend, Lou – I used Cleveland Whiskey – the creation of a Cleveland entrepreneur, Tom Lix who has revolutionized the making of bourbon from the aging process of 6-10 years down to around one week.
Now I’m not a whiskey drinker by any means but from the feedback I’ve had from friends – this stuff is good!
Tom Lix is just about ready to toast the commercial distribution of a premium bourbon he has produced using technology that challenges centuries-old distilling techniques. Using a carefully controlled balance of pressure, time and other variables, Mr. Lix’s patent-pending method of aging whiskey compresses production of the spirit from about 10 years into a couple of days. “We use a radically different pressure-aging process that creates a deeper, bolder taste,” he said. – Crain’s Cleveland Business
We’ve got the chocolate, the pretzels, the whiskey and I decided to use Saucy Mama’s Hatch Chili Mustard. I liked the idea of a bit of heat that this mustard offers to top off the richness of the tart. The chocolate mousse filling is one of my go-to favorites from the Modern Comfort Food blog. I love it for its rich decadence and the simplicity of the ingredients.
Start by crushing pretzels in the food processor to a fine crumb and then combined with butter and sugar.
Press into a 10″ tart pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
While the crust is cooling, break up the chocolate in a glass bowl and combine with cream and honey. Melt the chocolate in a microwave in 30 second intervals until melted.
Let cool and whip the whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold in the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream until well incorporated.
Spoon into the pretzel crust and chill for at least four hours.
Combine powdered sugar, cream and mustard to make a confectioner’s glaze and drizzle on top on the tart. Finish with crushed pretzels and you’ve got yourself a WINNER!
I loved being a participant in this contest – I love when my creative buttons are pushed and am honored to be among the final 10 bloggers who are competing in the dessert level. Good luck to all – it was fun!
Don’t forget about the special Saucy Mama discount – try these mustards – they are great! AND – the “Pin It to Win It” contest is good until Noon EST on July 12th ~
THE GIVEAWAY!
As a participant in the Saucy Mama Recipe Contest, they have generously offered my readers a chance to win one of their mustard samplers. So here’s how you can win – simply Pin It to Win It! If you pin this post on your Pinterest page – you will be eligible to win! Leave a comment below that you’ve pinned this recipe and you will be entered. A winner will be selected at the end of the contest on July 14, 2013. Check out my Pinterest page too! You’ll find great recipes and inspiration!
Wait! There’s more! If you can’t wait to win the mustard sampler – you can receive a 25% discount on your purchase through the Saucy Mama’s Online Store. Simply use the code “LIN25″ during checkout.
- CRUST:
- 1½ cups finely crushed pretzels
- 4 tbs. melted butter
- ⅛ cup granulated sugar
- FILLING:
- 12 oz. Ghiardelli (or similar quality) bittersweet dark chocolate (60% cacao)
- 1 tbs. honey
- 3 tbs. whipping cream
- 5 tbs. bourbon
- 1½ cups whipping cream
- DRIZZLE
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbs. whipping cream
- 1 tsp. Saucy Mama’s Hatch Chili Mustard
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine crushed pretzels, sugar and butter.
- Press into the bottom and sides of a 10″ tart pan.
- Use the bottom of a glass to firmly press the crust in place.
- Bake for 10 minutes – remove from oven and let cool.
- Combine chocolate, honey and 3 tbs. of the cream and heat in a microwave for 30 second intervals until melted.
- Stir until blended completely and add bourbon until well blended.
- Let chocolate mixture cool.
- Once cooled, spoon into pretzel crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Prepare glaze by combining powdered sugar, 1 tbs. cream and mustard.
- Mix thoroughly and drizzle on the top of the tart.
- Garnish with crushed pretzels.
