February  ♥ Valentine’s Day

“Chess pie is a Southern dessert that has been around for a long time,
probably because it’s very easy to throw together. My version is a lot
like a fudge pie. Desserts don’t necessarily have to be elaborate,
just scrumptious, to turn you on. You’ll need six 5-inch tart pans
with removable bottoms for this.”

1/2 recipe Basic Sweet Piecrust
(recipe follows)
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted
butter, melted
1 cup sugar
4 ounces semisweet chocolate,
chopped and melted
4 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 recipe Sweetened Whipped Cream
(recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Roll out the dough to a 12-inch circle 1/4 inch thick and cut out six
5-inch rounds. Line each tart pan with a round of dough, pressing it
into the bottom and up the sides with your fingers. In a medium-size
mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar, whisking to blend. Add
the melted chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla,
and cornmeal and whisk until smooth. Pour about 1/2 cup of the
mixture into each prepared tart pan.
Place the tart pans on a baking sheet and bake until the crusts are lightly
browned, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire
rack to cool for 15 minutes. The center of the pies will sink slightly as
they cool.
To serve, cool completely before removing the pan bottoms and the pies
from the tart pans. Spoon the whipped cream on top of the tarts. Serve
at room temperature. Makes 6 servings
 

Basic Sweet Piecrust

2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water, as needed

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium-size mixing bowl. Add
the shortening and work it in with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time, working it in with
your hands. Add only as much as you need for a smooth ball of dough
to form. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for about 10 minutes, then place it on a lightly floured work surface. Cut the dough in half and
put the second half back in the refrigerator. For each crust, roll out the
dough on the floured surface into a circle about 12 inches in diameter and
1/8 inch thick. Proceed as directed in the recipe.
Makes two 9-inch piecrusts
 

Sweetened Whipped Cream

 2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons sugar

Combine the cream, vanilla, and sugar in a medium-size mixing
bowl and, using an electric mixer, whip until soft peaks form.
Makes about 3 cups

Featured Archive Recipes:
Emeril's Romantic Valentine's Desserts
Craig Claiborne's Chess Pie
Variations on Chess Pie
Chocolate Temptation
Dark Chocolate Heart Cake with
Raspberry Ganache
Emeril's Chocolate Chocolate Pudding Cake
Chocolate Mousse Trio (Daniel Boulud)
Chocolate Ganache Tartlets with Sweet Cherries
Warm Chocolate Tart (François Payard)
Chocolate Coconut Crunch Pie
Chocolate Ice Box Pie
White Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

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