Chocolate Pudding Cream Tart

CHOCOLATE PUDDING CREAM TART

For the crust:

            2 cups graham cracker crumbs

            1/3 cup sugar

            ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

            4 cups whole milk

            ¾ cup sugar

            5 extra-large egg yolks

            1/3 cup corn starch

            1 teaspoon kosher salt

            7 ounces good bittersweet chocolate, such as Lindt, broken

            2 Tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, diced

            1 Tablespoon Kahlua liqueur

            1 teaspoon instant coffee powder

           

Sweetened whipped cream:

            1 cup heavy cream

            2 Tablespoons sugar

            1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

(beat the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until firm peaks form-store in refrigerator until needed)

Shaved bittersweet chocolate, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the graham crackers, sugar, and butter in a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon.  Lightly press the mixture into an 11-inch metal tart pan with removable sides.  Bake for 10 minutes and set aside to cool.

Heat the milk in a small saucepan until almost simmering.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the milk into the bowl.  (Pour the hot milk into a large measuring cup first to reduce spills.)  Pour the mixture into a large saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is very thick.  Off the heat, add the chocolate, butter, Kahlua, and coffee.  Beat with a whisk until smooth and pour into the cooled crust.  Place plastic wrap directly on the chocolate filling and chill the tart for 6 hours, until cold.  Decorate with whipped cream and shaved chocolate and serve cold.