Chocolate Tart with Orange Cookie Crust

I had two packages of Swedish orange cookies in my pantry long enough to be weary of staring at them. Knowing that chocolate and orange make a classic pairing, I gambled that a chocolate tart with an orange cookie crust would be a winner.

Butter is a key ingredient in this crust and since I had to melt it, I thought why not make it “browned butter.”  In some recipes you may see it referred to as beurre noisette. Use 3 1/2 ounces of butter for this recipe; not the amount called for in the link.

The brand of cookie I used comes in a 5.25 ounce package.  I tried making the crust with one package but there weren’t enough crumbs to easily form the tart shell. I thought about using graham crackers for the remaining 1 3/4 ounces of cookie crumbs but then decided to follow my original plan and opened the second package.

The key to making this tart shell is patience. It takes some coaxing to get the crumbs to stick to the side. Keep pressing and they will stay put. It can be formed and refrigerated overnight or made and frozen for about 2 hours prior to baking. It bakes off in no-time (okay 10 minutes) which it about the time it takes to make the filling.

For Crust
7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups or (7 ounces ounces) crispy orange cookies
1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
Zest of one orange, preferably organic

For Filling
1 1/4 cups (10 fluid ounces) heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (80% cacao), chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate (39% cacao), chopped
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Glaze
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate (80% cacao), chopped
1 ounce semisweet chocolate (39% cacao), chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon warm water

Have at hand one 9-inch round fluted tart pan (1-inch deep) with removable bottom.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter (or brown it, if desired) and allow to cool. In the bowl of a food processor using the metal “S” blade, pulverize the cookies until they become crumbs. Add the sugar and zest; then pulse again to combine.  With the machine running pour in the cooled melted butter and pulse to combine. Pour into the tart pan and press evenly around the side of the pan first, about 1/4-inch thick; then press the remaining crumbs evenly on the bottom. Freeze for at least 2 hours or refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Bake until firm, about 10 minutes. Set aside on a cooling rack while making the filling.

Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring cream to a boil; pour over chocolate and let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, vanilla, and salt and then temper the eggs into the melted chocolate. Pour filling into the crust.

When ready to bake off the tart place a rack in the bottom third of an oven and preheat to 350ºF. Bake until filling is set about 3-inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as tart cools.) Set aside on a cooling rack.

Bring cream to a boil and remove from heat. Pour over chocolate and stir until smooth. Stir in corn syrup, then warm water. Pour glaze over the cooled tart, tilting and rotating so the glaze coats the top evenly. Let stand until glaze is set, about 1 hour.