Easy Recipe
There is an easy homemade chocolate custard tart recipe that is delicious, filling, and always a treat. It is so easy, in fact, that it is mostly cooked in the microwave. The only other cooking is baking the pie tart shells. I got this recipe from my mother-in-law, who surprised me when she said it was a microwave recipe. Judging by the taste of these tarts, I thought this would be a fussy recipe that would require cooking in a double-boiler pan. I am so glad I was wrong!
Use Frozen Tart Shells
To make this recipe even easier, you can use frozen premade tart shells for this recipe. If you want to make homemade crust, remember that it will add more time to the total recipe time. I used two boxes of Dutch Ann tart shells with eight to a box–just enough to make this recipe! You can also use two 9-inch pie shells instead of the tart shells.
Dock the Pastry
Use a fork to dock or punch holes in the tart pastry shells. The holes will allow steam to escape during baking to help prevent the dough from puffing or forming baking bubbles. Cook the tart shells first so they can cool while you make the chocolate filling.
Chocolate Filling
This filling is made entirely in the microwave. It is so easy to do. Just whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, salt, milk, and eggs until mixed well. A large microwave-safe measuring bowl works well for this. Then put it into the microwave and cook for two-minute intervals, stirring between each interval. The filling usually takes about eight minutes to cook.
Stir in the butter and vanilla. Then place the chocolate filling into the baked pie shells.
Chill Before Serving
Pour the filling into the tart shells. Then place the tarts into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to let them chill.
Add whipped cream or whipped topping to the tarts just before serving.
Finish the tarts with a sprinkling of chopped, toasted pecans. Enjoy!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Passive Time | 2 hours |
| Servings |
|
- (12-16) 3-inch frozen tart shells
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks, beaten
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, sliced into 8 pieces
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- whipped topping or cream for garnish
- 1/8 cup pecans, chopped for garnish
Ingredients
|
Rate this recipe!
|
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the tart shells from the wrapping and puncture the bottom and sides of the dough with a fork. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
- In a large microwavable bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, egg yolks, flour, cocoa powder, and salt until well mixed. Whisk until the flour and cocoa powder are incorporated. This can take 2-3 minutes.
- Microwave on high for 2 minutes and then whisk the mixture. Repeat microwaving for 2-minute intervals and whisking between each interval until the mixture thickens. It will take 6-8 minutes total time.
- Scatter the sliced butter in the bowl and add the vanilla. Whisk until the butter melts. Pour the mixture into the prepared tart shells. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 2 hours.
- Top with whipped topping and a sprinkling of pecans. Serve chilled.
Sugar Amount
The recipe originally called for 2 cups of sugar in the pie filling. I reduced the sugar to 1 1/2 cups. You may prefer to add the full 2 cups for sweeter tarts or reduce it further for less sweet tarts.
Pie Instead of Tarts
You can make this dessert in a prebaked pie shell instead of tart shells.
Yield
This recipe makes 12-16 three-inch tarts, depending on how much filling you put into each.