Double Chocolate Tart with Hazelnut Caramel

All the reasons chocolate puts us in a good mood. This one is for all the chocolate lovers out there, who need a little pick-me-up after work, on Sundays, or during cold winter afternoons. Every bite of chocolate is like a comforting hug with a smile. And while this should be the case for any self-respecting comfort food, we can’t deny that it’s also a matter of brain chemistry when it comes to chocolate!

Serotonin

Let's start here, with serotonin – the feel-good hormone. One of the main reasons why we feel happier when we eat chocolate is because it helps raise our serotonin levels. But within this indulgent elixir of happiness, tryptophan, a molecule useful for synthesizing serotonin in the body, is also present in good amounts. So bite after bite, we’re increasing our chances of increasing the good-mood hormone in our body. To make us smile a little more. But that's not all. Chocolate also contains modest amounts of salsolinol and salsolin, which are dopamine-derived alkaloids that work as natural antidepressants in the body, as well.

The craving effect

The common definition of the craving effect is “the compulsive desire for a psychoactive substance for a food, but also for objects or other gratifying substances.” And although there is a strong emotional component that drives us to crave specific foods and to consume them constantly (and in abundant amounts), cocoa and chocolate contain substances that are capable of creating a slight dependence. For this reason, it’s best not to go overboard with it. Just a square of chocolate a day is a good habit.

Happiness in slices

And now that we understand why we feel happier with a piece of chocolate in our hands, all that's left is to indulge in a few joyful bites, perhaps of your favorite cake. 

Double Chocolate Tart with Hazelnut Caramel

Lightly grind the instant coffee. Mix the soft butter with the cocoa powder and powdered sugar; add the coffee, a pinch of salt and the egg, and final...

INGREDIENTS

3 1/3 CUPS of flour

2/3 CUP of powdered sugar

4 1/2 OZ. of butter

1 OZ. of unsweetened cocoa powder

1 TSP. of instant coffee

2 of eggs

Salt

7 OZ. of 52% dark chocolate

4 OZ. of granulated sugar

1/2 CUP of flour

2 OZ. of hazelnut flour

4 TBSP. of butter

1/4 OZ. of baking powder

2 of large eggs

14 OZ. of cream

2/3 CUP of hazelnuts, blanched

1/2 CUP of granulated sugar

2 OZ. of dark chocolate

2 TBSP. of honey

METHOD

Lightly grind the instant coffee. Mix the soft butter with the cocoa powder and powdered sugar; add the coffee, a pinch of salt and the egg, and finally, the flour. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Dust the work surface with some flour mixed with cocoa powder and use a rolling pin to roll out the shortcrust dough until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Grease a loose-bottomed 10-inch diameter baking tin and dust the base and sides with a little flour mixed with cocoa powder. Lay the shortcrust pastry in the tin, push it into the sides and trim off the excess. Cover the tin with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes; then prepare to blind bake the pastry by piercing holes in it with the tines of a fork and and lining it with a layer of ceramic pie weights or dried beans and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes. 

FOR THE FILLING 

Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie and combine it with the softened butter. Beat the eggs with the sugar until you have a pale, slightly foamy mixture; first add the chocolate, a little at a time, then the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Put the mixture in the tart case and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool.

FOR THE CARAMEL 

Toast the hazelnuts in the oven at 350°F for 7-8 minutes. Coarsely chop the chocolate. Heat the sugar in a pan until it turns golden. Gently heat 1/2 cup of light cream in a saucepan and pour it into the sugar, stirring for a couple of minutes, until you have a smooth caramel; then add the chopped chocolate, followed by 4 ounces of toasted hazelnuts and the honey. Chop the remaining hazelnuts. Whip 1 cup of light cream. Put the hazelnut caramel and the chopped hazelnuts on the tart and serve accompanied with the whipped cream.