Black Bottom Chocolate Tarts with a Caramel Pretzel Crust

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.

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.

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.

Reduce heat to 325 degrees.
Spoon filling into pretzel tart shells to the top – you may have extra filling*.

Bake for 10 minutes, until it has risen, and feels firm.
Let cool.

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.

See recipe : Chocolate Hearts with Pretzels and Cacao Nibs (for decoration.)

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.

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.

*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.

For Gluten Free:
Use gluten free pretzels.

For Dairy Free:
Substitute coconut oil for butter, use coconut milk whipped cream.