Chocolate Ganache Tart

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons slivered blanched almonds
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 3/4 cups (spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons grated orange or lemon zest (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cut into pieces
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. 1
   Ganache is a luxurious filling made of heavy cream and dark chocolate.
2. 2
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make dough: In a food processor, pulse almonds until finely ground. Add sugar, flour, zest (if desired), and salt; pulse until combined. Add butter, pulsing until coarse crumbs form with no large butter lumps (dough should clump together when squeezed with fingers).
3. 3
   Immediately transfer dough to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Using a measuring cup, evenly press dough in bottom and up sides of pan.
4. 4
   Bake in center of oven until golden brown and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
5. 5
   Make ganache: Place chocolate in a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour hot cream, through a sieve, over chocolate. Stir until smooth and creamy in texture. Mix in vanilla.
6. 6
   Pour chocolate mixture into center of cooled tart shell (if chocolate is lumpy, pass through a sieve). Let stand until set, about 2 hours, or chill for 1 hour.