This tart is so decadent that people will assume you spent the afternoon slaving over a hot stove and oven surrounded by a growing pile of dirty dishes. It can be our secret that it was actually thrown together with minimal effort and little more than a bowl, spoon and the help of a microwave. The deeply chocolatey crust is simply pressed into the pan and chilled before it's topped with the world's easiest dark chocolate ganache and sweet seasonal strawberries.
Servings: one 9-inch tart
Ready Time: 1 hour 40 minutes (includes chilling time)
Crust
1-1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3 tbsp sugar
Pinch of salt
Filling
1 lb strawberries
6 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
Method
Make the crust
Beat or stir together the cookie crumbs, butter, sugar and salt until they form a uniform mixture. Use your fingers to firmly press the mixture along the bottom and edge of a 9-inch tart pan. Place the tart crust in the fridge and allow it to chill for at least one hour before filling.
Make the filling
Remove the stems from the strawberries and slice them in half, set them aside.
Chop the chocolate and place in a heat-proof bowl along with the tablespoon of butter. Heat the whipping cream in a pot over medium heat on the stove or in the microwave in a heat-proof bowl until steaming and hot to the touch. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and butter and whisk until all of the chocolate has melted.
Scrape the chocolate into the chilled tart shell and smooth with a spatula. Arrange the strawberry halves on the chocolate, pressing them firmly into the chocolate filling.
Chill the tart for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chocolate has set before slicing and serving.