Chocolate Strawberry Budino Tart

Chocolate Budino Tart with Strawberries & Sea Salt

(Serves 8-10)

Crust (also see note):

1¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup granulated sugar

Kosher salt

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, cold and cut into ½-inch pieces

3-4 tablespoons ice water

Note: Feel free to just use a store-bought pie crust.

Filling:

1¼ cup heavy cream

4 large egg yolks

¼ cup brown sugar

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Strawberries, thinly sliced

Sea salt, for garnish

Make the Crust

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray the inside of a 10-inch tart pan and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Using a pastry cutter (or two butter knifes), work the cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles cornmeal with tiny pieces of butter scattered throughout. Collect the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a 12-inch circle. Fold the dough in half over the rolling pin and drape it over the prepared tart pan. Gently press into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Bake the shell until light golden brown and set, about 15-20 minutes. If the bottom of the crust puffs up, take a toothpick and gently poke a few holes into it while it’s still hot, then use a large fork to gently flatten. Let cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the Filling

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the heavy cream, egg yolks, brown sugar, and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes (don’t worry if it curdles). Transfer to a blender along with the butter and chocolate chips. Cover and hold down the lid with a kitchen towel (or else you are going to have one hell of a mess to clean up) and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Let the mixture cool for about 10-15 minutes, then carefully pour the mixture into the cooked tart shell. Refrigerate the tart for about 3-4 hours, or overnight, to set. Garnish with sliced strawberries and sea salt before serving.