Strawberry Tart with a Chocolate Twist Bottom

I am not usually one to enjoy sweets but my husband does love anything loaded in sugar or chocolate, so I made this one for him. Although I do plan on snatching up a small slice before he devours the entire pie...

Because this was my first time creating this recipe, there are a few alterations I will incorporate into the recipe as I go, to make it more accurate for followers. Mainly, the chocolate filling and whipped cream with strawberry mixture had unneeded leftovers. Leftovers I will surely and gladly use on ice cream or espressos. 

I know most bakers have all the necessary baking supplies within their cabinets; but as someone who does not, I will list the prices I paid for the ingredients. I usually buy most of my groceries at Super Wal-Mart and look for the greatest bargain. What's great about baking and creating desserts such as this one, is that you buy a container of a baking product that you use about a teaspoon of, and can save the rest for other recipes. These products you buy once and use throughout at least 10 recipes. So if sweets are your endeavor, then take on the one-time charge of $2-$6 and think of it as an investment! On this recipe, I spent about $12.

Strawberry Tart with a Chocolate Twist Bottom

CRUST:

Great Value Shortbread Pie Crust                                       -  $1.78

CHOCOLATE FILLING:

4-5 oz. semisweet chocolate                                               -  about $2

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tbs. strawberry liqueur (nip) and/or                                   -  $1.49  OR

           strawberry syrup                                                      -  $2.18

STRAWBERRY FILLING:

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen strawberries (I bought a 16 oz. bag)  -  $2.38

2 tbs. strawberry liqueur or syrup

3-4 tsp. unflavored gelatin**                                              -  $1.25

2 cups heavy whipping cream                                             -  $3.08 

4 tbs. sugar

Firstly, you want to place the chocolate filling ingredients in a small pan and melt together on low heat. Pour this chocolate mixture as a layer over the prepared pie crust. Freeze or refrigerate this while preparing the strawberry filling.

Place the thawed strawberries in a food processor or as I did, in a blender (because it's a lot bigger than my food processor.) If the berries do not puree too easily, just add some warm water to help it to get started. With a finely woven strainer and a pot underneath, strain the berry mixture to extract the seeds. 

Spread the gelatin over the strawberry mixture and let it settle and soften for a few minutes. Once settled, cook over medium-low heat for a few minutes. Add 1-2 teaspoons of strawberry liqueur or syrup. It will be warm and the gelatin should be dissolved when it's done. Place the strawberry mixture into a bowl and then place it into a larger bowl of ice water. You can also place the bowls in the fridge. Stir the mixture for about 10 minutes until the mixture starts to jell slightly.

Preferably you will want to grab an electric beater for this next step. Hand beating whipped cream is an exhausting task but is definitely possible if a beater is not handy. Beat 2 cups of cream and 4 tablespoons of sugar; or as much sugar as you desire for sweetness. I like mine sweet. Beat on medium-high speed until peaks begin to form; as shown below. Fold in the strawberry mixture until there is no visible white in the bowl. Spread the mixture into  the pie crust, over the chocolate. 

Lastly, cover the pie and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours. Enjoy and top with any remaining thawed strawberries!