I tried to explain to some French pals what a “treehugger” is, a term that we Americans jokingly use to refer to a person who participates in well-intentioned earth-saving activities. Judging from my friends’ baffled expressions, the meaning got lost in translation. There are now a few French people wandering around scratching their heads, puzzled about nutty Americans with a penchant for wrapping their arms around tree trunks. I’m guilty of hugging a few trees myself. I read that using Brazil nuts is something positive that we can do to help sustain the rain forests, so I came up with this tart, which is packed full of them. I can’t say you’ll feel better about saving the planet if you make it, but anyone who doesn’t give it a try is, in my opinion, definitely nuts.

　　

Ingredients

makes one 9-inch (23-cm) tart; 8 servings

　　4 large egg yolks

　　1 1/2 cups (335 g) packed light brown sugar

　　4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60 g) unsalted butter, melted

　　1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream or whole milk

　　1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

　　1 1/2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　12 large dates, pitted and quartered

　　1 1/2 cups (225 g) Brazil nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

　　Prebaked tart shell (page 229)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

　　

Step 2

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, brown sugar, butter, cream or milk, flour, ginger, and salt until smooth. Stir in the date pieces and Brazil nuts until combined.

　　

Step 3

Set the prebaked tart shell on a baking sheet and pour in the filling. Bake the tart on the baking sheet until the top is uniformly deep brown and the filling is set (it shouldn’t jiggle when you gently shake the tart), 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely.

　　

Step 4

Remove the tart pan sides by setting the tart on an overturned bowl or other tall, wide surface (a large can of tomatoes works well). Gently press down on the outer ring and let the ring fall to the countertop. Set the tart on a flat surface. Release the tart from the pan bottom by sliding the blade of a knife between the crust and the pan bottom, then slip the tart onto a serving plate. (If it doesn’t release cleanly, simply serve the tart on the pan bottom.)

　　

Serving

Step 5

Serve with whipped cream (page 239) or a drizzle of Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce (page 243) spiked with rum.

　　

Storage

Step 6

The filling can be made up to 4 days in advance and refrigerated.

　　

Variation

Step 7

To add coconut flavor to this tart, substitute 1 1/2 cups (340 g) softened or grated palm sugar (available in Asian markets) for the brown sugar and replace the cream or whole milk with Thai coconut milk.

　　Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz. Copyright © 2010 by David Lebovitz. Published by Ten Speed Press. All Rights Reserved.David Lebovitz lived in San Francisco for twenty years before moving to Paris. He baked at several notable restaurants before starting his career as a cookbook author and food writer. He's the author of four highly regarded books on desserts, and has written for many major food magazines, sharing his well-tested recipes written with a soupçon of humor. His popular, award-winning blog, www.davidlebovitz.com, entertains readers from around the world with sweet and savory recipes as he tries to unravel the complexities of living in Paris.