1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1½ cups pecan halves
Crust
1 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (about half of one 9-ounce package cookies, finely ground in processor)
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 3.1-ounce disk Mexican chocolate (such as Ibarra), chopped
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
Lightly sweetened whipped cream
PECANS: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Whisk egg white, both sugars, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper in medium bowl. Stir in pecans. Spread nuts in single layer on sheet, rounded side up. Bake until just browned and dry, about 30 minutes. Cool on sheet. Separate nuts, removing excess coating.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
CRUST: Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend cookie crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in processor. Add melted butter; process until crumbs are moistened. Press crumbs into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom to within ⅛ inch of top. Bake until set, about 20 minutes. Cool on rack.
FILLING: Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add both chocolates; whisk until melted. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking until smooth between additions. Whisk in vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour filling into crust. Chill until filling begins to set, 15 to 20 minutes.
Arrange nuts in concentric circles atop tart. Chill until set, about 4 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely with foil and keep chilled.
Serve tart with whipped cream.
For an extra hit of fruit flavor, the crust is spread with a little raspberry jam midway through baking. To create a glistening raspberry topping, skip the cocoa powder and powdered sugar and brush the berries with warm raspberry jam instead. 6 servings
Crust
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1½ tablespoons (or more) ice water
1 large egg yolk
6 tablespoons raspberry jam
Filling
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
2½-pint containers raspberries
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder
CRUST: Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl. Add butter; using fingertips, rub in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1½ tablespoons ice water and egg yolk; mix in with fork until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into rectangle. Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes to soften slightly before rolling out.
Butter and flour 13¾×4-inch rectangular tart pan with 1-inch-high sides and removable bottom. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to 15×6-inch rectangle. Peel off 1 sheet of waxed paper. Invert dough into prepared pan; peel off second sheet of waxed paper. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of pan, trimming edges if needed. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 12 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Continue to bake until crust just begins to darken around edges, piercing with toothpick if crust bubbles, about 12 minutes longer. Remove from oven; maintain oven temperature. Spread jam over bottom of crust. Bake until jam is set, about 3 minutes. Transfer tart in pan to rack; cool crust completely.
FILLING: Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer chocolate ganache to bowl and refrigerate until chilled but not firm, about 45 minutes.
Using electric mixer, beat ganache until very thick and semi-firm. Spread ganache over jam in crust.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Refrigerate.
Arrange raspberries atop ganache, rounded side up. Stir powdered sugar and cocoa in bowl. Sift over tart.
Cream cheese gives the custard a luxurious texture. The tart needs to chill overnight, so be sure to start this recipe a day ahead. Look for chocolate-covered coffee bean candies at some supermarkets, and at candy shops and specialty foods stores. 12 servings
CrustNonstick vegetable oil spray
1 9-ounce package chocolate wafer cookies
½ cup walnuts
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
2 cups heavy whipping cream
¾ cup whole milk
⅓ cup water
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 tablespoons chocolate liqueur (such as dark crème de cacao)
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 8-ounce package Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 extra-large eggs
2 extra-large egg yolks
Ganache
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or coffee powder
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate-covered coffee bean candies (optional)
CRUST: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 10-inch-diameter springform pan with nonstick spray. Wrap outside of pan tightly with triple layer of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind cookies and walnuts in processor. Add melted butter; process to blend. Press mixture firmly onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Chill crust while making filling.
FILLING: Bring cream, milk, and ⅓ cup water to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Whisk in cocoa powder, chocolate liqueur, espresso powder, and vanilla.
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and beat until well blended. Add whole eggs 1 at a time, then egg yolks, beating well after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Gradually add hot cream mixture and beat until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.