Chocolate Macadamia Tarts – Country Living

CHOCOLATE FILLING
1/2 c Plus 2 T heavy cream -liqueur
3 (1-oz) squares semisweet Vanilla Sauce
Chocolate, finely chopped -(recipe follows)
1 pk (8-oz) cream cheese, Chocolate-Dipped Whole
-softened -Macadamia Nuts (opt.,
1/3 c Granulated sugar -recipe follows)
2 Large eggs Semisweet chocolate curls
2 tb Creme de Cacao, or (opt.
-other chocolate-flavored Confectioners’ sugar (opt.)

1. Prepare Macadamia Nut Crust: In medium-size bowl, combine ground
mac- cadamia nuts, flour. granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in
melted butter until blended. With fingers, press crust mixture into
bottom and sides of six 4-inch fluted tart pans set aside.

2. Prepare Chocolate Filling: In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 C cream
over medium heat. Place chocolate in small bowl. When cream begins to
boil, remove from heat; pour over chocolate, Stirring constantly
until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth, set aside.

3. Heat oven to 325’F. In large bowl, with electric mixer, beat cream
cheese until smooth. Add granulated sugar and beat on medium speed 3
minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in remaining 2 tablespoons cream and the Creme de Cacao. Stir in
chocolate mixture.

4. Divide filling among tart shclls; bake 25 to 30 minutes or until
filling appears set. Cool tarts completely in pans on wire rack.
Cover and refrigerate tarts until ready to serve. Meanwhile, prepare
Vanilla Sauce and, if desired, Chocolate-Dipped Whole Macadamia Nuts
and chocolate curls.

5. To serve, spoon Vanilla Sauce onto each of 6 dessert plates. Place
a Chocolate Macadamia Tart on top of Vanilla Sauce; garnish each tart
with chocolate curls and confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Arrange 8
dipped nuts in sauce around each tart, if desired.

Vanilla Sauce: In 1-quart saucepan, combine 1/2 C heavy cream and
1/3 C milk; cook over medium heat just until bubbles form around edge
of pan. Remove from heat. In medium-size bowl-beat together 3 T
sugar and 2 large egg yolks. Gradually pour cream mixture into yolk
mixture, stirring constantly. Pour mixture back into saucepan; cook
over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. (Do not boil.)
Strain Vanilla Sauce into bowl; stir in 1 t vanilla extract. Cover
and re- frigerate until ready to serve.

Chocolate-Dipped Whole Macadamia Nuts; Line baking sheet with waxed
pa- per. Melt 3 1-oz squares semi- sweet chocolate in top of double
boiler over simmering water. Dip one side of 48 whole macadamia nuts
in chocolate; set dipped nuts on lined baking sheet. Refrigerate
until chocolate hardens.