Chocolate Pecan Indulgence (at least 8 portions)
What are you making for Holiday Parties.? This is easy, for everyone not just gf, and can be easily made dairy free.
I found this recipe in Bon Appetit Magazine years ago when it included a home made warm caramel sauce poured onto the individual serving plate. Then I had this supreme indulgence at a fund-raiser with Julia Child where the chef had poured the caramel sauce on top of the chocolate truffle filling. Finally, I noticed this dessert featured in one of the Christmas magazines.
I changed the recipe to use bought caramels melted with cream. Making home made caramel sauce can be extremely dangerous with the temperature that boiling sugar reaches and causes burns on your skin. Trader Joe's and Wegman's also have a wonderful jar of caramel sauce that is labeled gluten free.
It is extremely rich, but tastes out of this world. It can be made a day or two in advance. It is one of those desserts that you find yourself returning for just one more sliver – the same way one is tempted by a box of good chocolates. You could also add 1-2 tbsp of liqueur to the chocolate truffle mix or even arrange sliced strawberries, fresh pineapple, or mango on top of the chocolate, but underneath the caramel topping. In this way both the chocolate and caramel help the fruit stay looking and tasting fresher. This is best served at room temperature.
Base: Original recipe added sugar to pecan crust, I found that too sweet.
2 c whole pecans (8oz bag)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 oz/2 tbsp very soft unsalted butter (you can get away with salted butter)
Filling:
1/2 c (4 fl oz, 120 ml) whipping or heavy cream
12 oz bag (2c, 375 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use Nestlé Tollhouse labeled gf–don’t use store brand, very waxy texture).
Topping:
I've got lazy and buy Trader Joe's jar of gf caramel sauce or Wegmans gf caramel sauce. I used to buy/use ½ of 14 oz bag of soft caramels (candy apple type) unwrapped. I currently use Milk Maid brand by Brachs available at Shaws and Shop n Save. Don’t buy the caramels that come in the pick your own candies – they are an absolute pain to unwrap. Bottles of caramel ice cream syrup are not a good substitute. Check for gf, as ingredients change all the time.
¼ c (2 fl oz, 60 ml) milk or cream.
Additional whipped cream and chocolate curls for garnish. To one cup of liquid cream, add 2 tablespoons sugar and one teaspoon vanilla extract, whip until stiff.
Preheat oven to 325*
1. Blend nuts and cinnamon in processor until nuts are finely ground, but not a paste.
2. Add butter and blend until well combined. Press nut mix onto bottom and about one inch up sides of 9” tart pan with removable bottom. It will also work in 9” pie plate but is easier to cut in other pan.
Bake until golden brown - about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.
3. Bring cream to simmer in microwave. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Heat gently if not smooth enough. Put 2 tbsp chocolate mix in Ziploc snack bag and retain. Pour chocolate into crust, cover and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. You can cheat and use the freezer or outside on the deck in cold NE winter, but the chocolate has to be firm before you pour on the caramel.
4. Put caramels and milk in bowl in microwave and heat for about 2 minutes stirring every 30 seconds until totally smooth. Just heat Trader Joe's jar without lid in microwave until liquid enough to pour.
5. Allow to cool slightly but while still pourable, pour over set chocolate filling. Warm leftover chocolate in snack bag. Snip narrow corner from chocolate filled Ziploc bag and pipe a continuous circle of chocolate radiating out from center of dish. Take a toothpick, knife or skewer and gently drag tip of knife etc through chocolate circle from outside to center to form pattern- think hours of a clock spacing/ spider web. You can also drag tip of knife in opposite direction between each line already there. Refrigerate to set. It doesn't matter if circle isn't perfect or line of chocolate has bumps, lumps, breaks, just keep going.
6. To garnish. Spread or pipe whipped cream around edge, or all over top. Place few chocolate chips in cheese grater and grate some on top, or sprinkle with chocolate curls.
