Irresistible Whiskey Chocolate Meringue Tart

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: Our Irresistible Whiskey Chocolate Meringue Tart delivers a decadent chocolate dessert with an irresistible boozy kick and cooks in just 20 minutes. Tucked into a tender cocoa pastry crust and crowned with a billowing cloud of toasted meringue, this grown-up tart gives you deeply satisfying flavor and the interplay of velvety and fluffy texture in every forkful!

• Our Chocolate Pastry is a shortcrust with a delicately crumbly texture.
• Meringue not only gives the ideal contrast to the truffle-like consistency of the filling, but its subtle sweetness balances the intensely flavored chocolate whiskey flavors.

I’m pleased to share a family connection to the much-loved O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey used in this tart. My cousin, Michael J. Stafford, is the managing director of Stafford Bonded, based in my hometown of Wexford. Our grandfather (James Stafford) and our fathers (George Stafford Snr and Michael Stafford Snr) created the business. To learn more about the history of the Wexford Stafford family, please see the beautifully presented information on the Stafford Bonded website. O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey is inspired by Diarmuid O’Driscoll, Michael’s other grandfather. This remarkable man, who recently passed away at 104, was a gifted storyteller, and loved to share fascinating O’Driscoll lore.

Table of Contents

• What is Irresistible Whiskey Chocolate Meringue Tart?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Why
• How to Make Irresistible Whiskey Chocolate Meringue Tart
• Can I Make Whiskey Chocolate Meringue Tart in Advance?
• How to Store Leftovers
• FAQs
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• More Boozy Chocolate Recipes

What is an Irresistible Whiskey Chocolate Meringue Tart?

• Irresistible Whiskey Chocolate Meringue Tart is made with Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry, chocolate cream whiskey-spiked filling, and a meringue topping. Since this tart contains alcohol, it’s meant for adults only.
• The cocoa powder crust is blind-baked, which means it’s pre-cooked before the filling is added. Once filled, the tart sets in the fridge, and then it’s covered with meringue.
• O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey is the key to this tart’s distinctly delicious flavor. Distilling whiskey in Ireland started with Christian monks who learned the technique in their travels. Alcohol was used in cooking because it served as a preservative. There’s a resurgence of interest in cooking with Irish whiskey, and you’ll love our recipes, from updated favorites like O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Cake Recipe to our deliciously creative takes like Irish Whiskey Caramel Sauce and Baked Custard with Roasted Rhubarb and Whiskey.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• Rolling pin
• 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom
• Parchment paper
• Pie weights (optional)
• Heatproof bowl
• Small saucepan
• Silicone spatula
• Double boiler
• Whisk
• Stand mixer with a whisk attachment or electric hand mixer
• Kitchen torch (optional)

Key Ingredients and Why

• 1 Recipe Chocolate Pastry

• Bittersweet chocolate

  • Using bittersweet chocolate, with a cocoa content of 63-72%, gives this tart a bold, rich taste.
  • Combining chopped bittersweet with milk chocolate results in a lovely texture and just the right level of sweetness.
  • Use chopped chocolate, not chocolate chips, as chopped melts smoothly and easily.

• Milk chocolate

  • Milk chocolate, with a cocoa content of 38-42% cocoa, is much sweeter and creamier than bittersweet.
  • Its sweetness level is essential here, as the tart filling has no added sugar.
  • Use chopped chocolate, not chocolate chips, as chopped melts smoothly and easily.

• Heavy whipping cream

  • Heavy whipping cream, with a fat content of around 36%, gives this tart a velvety, plush texture.
  • Heavy cream is just natural FRESH CREAM skimmed from milk.

• Butter

  • Butter provides creaminess, a deliciously toasty flavor, and a mild counterpoint to the bold whiskey.

• Irish Whiskey

  •  Irish whiskey, with its vanilla and caramel flavors, gives the perfect warming touch to this tart.
  • What’s more, Irish whiskey is famous for having a smoother flavor than bourbon or Scotch whiskey.

• Egg whites

  • Egg whites contain proteins that denature and re-group when whipped, creating a network to trap and retain air to form meringue’s airy structure.
  • Use room-temperature eggs because they will whip up better. Here’s how to get your eggs to room temperature quickly.

• Granulated sugar

  • Sugar adds sweetness to the meringue, enhancing its overall flavor.
  • Sugar helps to stabilize and strengthen the meringue by interacting with proteins in the egg whites to hold air bubbles in place for a steady and fluffy structure.
  • Additionally, sugar contributes to browning on the surface of the meringue when exposed to heat, resulting in an attractive golden or lightly toasted appearance.

• Cream of tartar

  • Cream of tartar stabilizes whipped egg whites, preventing them from collapsing or weeping.

How to Make Irresistible Whiskey Chocolate Meringue Tart

• Blind bake the Chocolate Pastry:
  • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Roll the pastry out into a large circle that’s one-quarter inch (6mm) thick.
  • Transfer pastry to a 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom. Prick the crust all over with a fork.
  • Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
  • Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
  • Remove pie weights and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, until the pastry looks matte and dry.
• Make the filling:
  • Place the bittersweet and milk chocolates in a heatproof bowl.
  • In a saucepan, warm the cream, butter, and salt over low heat until simmering. Pour over the chocolate.
  • Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes WITHOUT stirring. Then, stir gently until the mixture is smooth.
  • Stir in the whiskey. Spread the mixture into the prepared pie crust.
  • Refrigerate uncovered for at least two hours and up to two days until set.
• Make the meringue:
  • Just before serving, combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tarter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.
  • Whisk until sugar is melted.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixture fitted with a whisk attachment (or with a hand mixer), whip the egg white mixture at high speed to stiff, glossy peaks (about seven minutes).
  • Pile meringue on chilled tart and toast with a kitchen torch or under the broiler. Serve immediately.

Can I Make Whiskey Chocolate Meringue Tart in Advance?

Yes, you can make Whiskey Chocolate Meringue Tart in advance.

• The completed tart is best enjoyed immediately after preparing it, but the crust and the filling can be made in advance for a quicker assembly on the day you serve it.
• The meringue can not be made in advance, as it will deflate.
• Chocolate Pastry
  • Refrigerate the Chocolate Pastry dough: Wrap the dough well and keep it in the fridge for up to two days.
  • Freeze the Chocolate Pastry dough: Wrap the pastry dough well to protect against freezer burn, and freeze for up to 6 weeks.
    • Let frozen pastry thaw in the fridge overnight.
    • If you are in a rush, defrost at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes.
• Chocolate-whiskey filling
  • The filling can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
  • You can also bake the crust, fill with the chocolate-whiskey mixture, and refrigerate uncovered for up to 24 hours.

How to Store Leftovers

• Store leftovers uncovered in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

FAQs

• How do I make sure my crust doesn’t shrink when I blind-bake it?

  • Be sure not to overwork the dough. Creating excess gluten by overhanding the pastry leads to a tougher dough that’s susceptible to shrinking. When mixing the crust, blend until just combined.
  • When rolling out the crust, take care not to roll the edges too thin, which may cause them to dry out and shrink as the crust bakes.
  • Be sure to dock, or prick, the bottom of the crust all over before blind baking. Not docking can cause steam to make bubbles under the crust while baking, which can cause the crust to pull down around the edges.

• What’s the secret to fluffy, perfectly toasted meringue?

  • Use large eggs for the most volume, and be sure to use room-temperature eggs, as they will whip up better.
  • Check out our tips for how to whip eggs perfectly.
  • Get the meringue a nice golden brown, so you get that toasted marshmallow flavor.

• Can I make this tart without eggs?

  • You can use aquafaba as an egg white substitute. Check out my Complete Guide to Aquafaba for everything you need to know.

• Can I make this chocolate tart without alcohol?

  • Yes, you can use orange juice as a substitute for the whiskey at a 1:1 ratio.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Be sure to use the best quality chocolate for this recipe.
• Always use chopped chocolate bars instead of chips when making recipes that require melting chocolate. Chips are made to hold their shape and may not always melt properly.
• If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can toast the meringue under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes. Be sure to watch this very carefully, as it can burn easily.
• Instead of meringue, you can top this tart with Whipped Cream or Chocolate Whipped Cream.
• For a nice variation, you can add 2 teaspoons of freshly grated orange zest into the filling along with the whiskey.
• Use the leftover egg yolks in these delicious Bigger Bolder Baking recipes, such as Creamy Coconut Custard Tart With Pâte Sucrée, Southern Egg Custard Pie, Lemon Curd, and more!

More Boozy Chocolate Recipes

• O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Chocolate Mousse Recipe
• Bailey’s Chocolate Pudding
• Decadent Irish Chocolate Whiskey Cake Recipe
• White Chocolate, Whiskey, and Raspberry Bread Pudding Recipe
• Warm Chocolate Cake with Rum-Soaked Prunes

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Luscious Creamy Lemon Chiffon Pie

Boozy Whiskey Apple Crisp Recipe

Ballymaloe Creamed Butter Pastry

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