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I had this vision: What if I layered my chocolate truffle sauce over a rich and buttery hazelnut crust, then smeared on an extra chocolate glaze? How would that turn out, I wondered? Well, the answer came at the end of a very long day. And even though by the time I finished making this masterpiece it was 11 p.m. on a weeknight, my sweetie and I dove in. “Wowie!” we said. My first run-through had involved an 8-inch square pan, because I thought I was aiming for a bar-cookie sort of creation. Negotiating those servings out of the pan turned out to be too messy, but I could tell this baby had promise. Ultimately, it came down to the use of a springform pan, which made cutting far more graceful — if you’re into elegance, like at a dinner party or something. If you’re strictly gunning for the incredible taste experience it provides (Damn the mess, full speed ahead!), and don’t have access to a springform pan, then by all means, stick with the 8-inch square pan and just hack away at this awesome confection. With follow-up attempts I fine-tuned my beverage thoughts. For such a rich, chocolatey confection, Grand Marnier is always a winner, because the orange essence within this heavenly liqueur really sings in tune with the chocolate. Also, Grand Marnier’s heady alcohol content is balanced by the richness within this dessert. But a tawny-style port is a lovely sidekick, as well. I stress “tawny” as opposed to ruby port. Tawny ports tend to be nutty and brown-sugary in nature, so they go better with hazelnuts and rich chocolate compositions. On the other hand, the ruby ports tend to be fruitier and cherry-esque. So they will go better with fruit desserts. In general, when pairing dessert wines with desserts, both components bring varying levels of acidity that affect their compatibility. From the wine end, that rich and nutty tawny port is less acidic than a late harvest Gewurztraminer, for example. From the dessert side of things, think chocolate truffle versus lemon tart. For the second recipe I’m sharing today, the Hazelnut Butter Crust Bars, a sip of scotch or your favorite whiskey really balances the sweet richness in this treat. However, that tawny port would also be a lovely sidekick with its toasty, nutty, personality. Double Trouble! Chocolate Truffle Tart with Hazelnut Crust 1 Hazelnut Butter Crust (recipe follows) For the Chocolate Truffle Filling: 16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup heavy cream 5 tablespoons butter, cut into about 20 pieces 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract For the Chocolate Glaze: 3 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 3 tablespoons milk or half-and-half 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-1/4 cups sifted confectioners sugar Prepare the hazelnut crust mixture as described in the Hazelnut Butter Crust recipe below, pressing the crumbly dough into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake in a preheated, 350-degree oven until the crust turns a rich golden brown and appears cooked (it will still be very soft; it sets more firmly upon standing), about 30 to 35 minutes; set aside to cool. Once the crust has cooled, prepare the chocolate truffle filling: Slowly melt the chocolate without stirring. When the chocolate has melted, place the cream in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, and warm just until the cream is steaming and small bubbles have formed around the edges. Remove the cream from the heat and immediately pour it over the melted chocolate chips. Don’t be alarmed when the chocolate seizes up. Just keep stirring gently with a flat wire whisk or a wooden spoon until the chocolate relaxes, softens up and ultimately blends into the warm cream. Keep the vessel positioned over the hot water, because this will help keep the temperature at the melting point. Once the chocolate is smooth and creamy, stir in the butter, 2 or 3 pieces at a time, and continue stirring until the mixture is well blended and smooth. There may be a few little chunks of chocolate that don’t completely melt, but that’s OK. Lift the vessel of truffle sauce away from the hot water and wipe its outer sides with a towel so that no water will drip into the sauce when you tip the vessel to pour it out. Pour the sauce onto the surface of the cooled crust, scraping out every last drop with a rubber spatula. Smooth it out evenly, then set it aside to cool for about 30 minutes. Then place the pan in the refrigerator to cool completely and set firmly. Once the truffle sauce has set firmly, prepare the chocolate glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter and the cocoa powder. Add the milk and vanilla extract and continue whisking. Finally, whisk in the confectioner’s sugar. If the mixture seems too thick (it should be thin enough to drizzle from a spoon), whisk in a little more milk or half-and-half. Spread the chocolate glaze over the surface of the tart, spreading it evenly out to the edge. Return the tart to the refrigerator to set the glaze. The tart may be served chilled or at room temperature. It’s up to you. It will be softer if stored at room temperature, but it isn’t a food safety issue. MAKE-AHEAD TIP: If you want to get out in front of any Double Trouble Chocolate Truffle Tart cravings, go ahead and make the Hazelnut Butter Crust ahead of time — heck, make two or three — and then freeze. When ready to construct the tart, simply pop a frozen tart shell back down into the springform pan and assemble the rest of the recipe. Relatively quick and delicious. Hazelnut Butter Crust Bars Makes 16 bars (each measuring about 2-by-2 inches) These are very rich, so a little goes a long way. For the Hazelnut Butter Crust: 1-1/2 cups flour 1/3 cup ground raw hazelnuts 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup butter (1-1/2 sticks), softened For the Hazelnut Topping: 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 2/3 cup light corn syrup 2 eggs 1/4 cup butter ( 1/2 stick), melted 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 cups chopped raw hazelnuts Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For the Hazelnut Butter Crust: In a food processor, or in a bowl using an electric mixer, combine the flour, hazelnuts, brown sugar and butter. Blend just until crumbly and beginning to hold together. Scrape the mixture into an ungreased 9-inch square pan (NOTE: If preparing this crust for the Double Trouble Chocolate Truffle Tart, use a 10-inch round springform pan). Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Meanwhile, for the Hazelnut Topping: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, light corn syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla and salt. Mix well. Stir in the chopped hazelnuts. When the crust has browned and been removed from the oven, let it stand for 5 minutes (to firm slightly), then gently spread the egg mixture over the surface of the partially cooked crust. Return to the oven and bake until the top layer has set and is a rich golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack before cutting. Store the bars in an airtight container. Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis food writer, artist and author of “Oregon Hazelnut Country, the Food, the Drink, the Spirit,” and four other cookbooks. Email her at [email protected], or see her blog at www.janrd.com.