Walnut Chocolate Tart

Today's dessert is brought to you by the letter "W". The letter "W" stands for walnuts. And warm. And wickedly wonderful! All words that describe this delicious and incredibly easy dessert. Just a handful of simple ingredients, many I know I always have on hand, and I am sure you do too. In no time at all you can have this fabulous dessert baked and cooling on your counter.

I found the recipe for this for tart on the Taste of Home website. My daughter gets their magazine and is always telling me about this or that great meal or baked good. I forget now what I started looking for the day I came across this recipe, I think it was savory tarts, but when I saw the recipe for this tart,  I knew I had to make it.

It calls for a simple to make tart crust, that whips up in minutes. But, you could use your own favorite tart crust as long as you prebake it. Then, cook up some butter, brown sugar, dark corn syrup and heavy cream, pour the cooked mixture over a couple of cups of chopped walnuts and put the whole thing back in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes and, voila! One, simple, delicious, warm (and it is better warm, trust me on that!)

The only change I made to the recipe was I added mini chocolate chips. Everything is better with chocolate, right?  and as good as this recipe sounded, I thought it would be better with a little bit of chocolate.  I added about 3/4 of a cup of mini chips to the freshly baked crust when I first took it out of the oven. The chips softened and anchored the walnuts that you fill the baked crust with.

The hubby had his doubts when I first told him what was for dessert. Walnut tart? Walnuts in a tart shell? As always, I told him to trust me. He was blown away by it. Said it was one of the best desserts I have made. And, you know what? He might have been right! Give it a try. I have posted the recipe as I found it on the website. Make it that way, or add the chocolate chips. Either way, I don't think you will be disappointed. :)

One last note...thank you all for the kind and thoughtful words you left me after my last post. It warms my heart to know that there are so many people "out there" who care about me and what I am going through. It's nice to be back. :)

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 
  FILLING:
• 2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, divided

Directions

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk. Gradually add flour just until blended (mixture will be crumbly).
• Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. tart pan with removable bottom. Place pan on baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
• Sprinkle nuts over crust. In a small heavy saucepan, combine sugar, butter, corn syrup and 2 tablespoons of cream. Boil and stir over medium heat for 1 minute longer. Pour over walnuts.
• Return pan to baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until bubbly. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a small bowl, beat remaining cream until stiff peaks form. Serve tart at room temperature with whipped cream. Yield: 10-12 servings.
  
  Editor's Note: An 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking pan may be used instead of a tart pan.