Black Bottom Chocolate Tarts with a Caramel Pretzel Crust

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups ground pretzels, crush with a little texture
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar, or light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons brown rice syrup, can use corn syrup, although I do not
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 ounces dark chocolate, I use "Endangered Species" 88% dark chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup coconut palm sugar, or light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. For the Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small skillet - add 5 tablespoons butter. Melt over low heat. Add 2 T. coconut palm sugar. Stir to combine and cook for one minute or two over low heat stirring until sugar has dissolved. Place the pretzel crumbs into a medium sized bowl. Add the butter and sugar "caramel" and the vanilla. Mix well with a spoon until combined very well.
2. Place a silicone tart mold (with 2" cavities) on a baking tray. Add 1 tablespoon of the crust into each cavity. Use a tart dough tamper* or small spoon, press down on bottom and sides to make a shell. Bake for 10 minutes until firm and just starting to color. Remove from oven, set aside.
3. Make Filling: In a small pot add butter and melt over low heat. Add brown rice syrup and stir well. Add chopped chocolate, stir until almost melted. Remove from heat, add 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar, eggs and vanilla. With a wire whisk, combine the ingredients until light and fluffy.
4. Reduce heat to 325 degrees. Spoon filling into pretzel tart shells to the top - you may have extra filling*.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, until it has risen, and feels firm. Let cool.
6. Make Whipped Cream and Chocolate Heart Decorations (see recipe.) Whipped Cream: Whip 4 T. heavy cream with 2 tablespoon confectioner's sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla until very firm.
7. See recipe : Chocolate Hearts with Pretzels and Cacao Nibs (for decoration.)
8. Easy Non-Dairy Coconut Whipped Cream: Chill a can of coconut milk the night prior. (I use Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut Milk.) Open can, take out 4 Tablespoons of the thick coconut solids and 1 tablespoon of the water (use remaining for another recipe, or freeze.) Place the solids with 2 tablespoon confectioner's sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla in a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup. With a hand held stick mixer, blend until light and creamy, using a up and down motion. Refrigerate if not using immediately. (Can also whisk by hand in a bowl.) This topping does firm up when refrigerated. Best to top close to serving them.
9. To serve: Easily unmold the tarts from the silicone molds. Place them on a plate. Add a dollop of whipped cream on each tart. Top with a Chocolate Heart, pressing it in slightly.
10. *Extra filling can be added to a baking ramekin and cooked until firm, but a little soft on the inside. * pastry tart tamper is used to form tart shells.
11. For Gluten Free: Use gluten free pretzels. For Dairy Free: Substitute coconut oil for butter, use coconut milk whipped cream.