Mascarpone and Honey Tart with Oranges, Chocolate and Pistachios

"Not a great start there Amy," you might be saying to yourself.  It would appear that way, but I'll have you know it was in honor of Pi Day that I made this lovely tart.  Rather than discussing the relevance of the mathematical constant (because we're not real math-y people around here), what better way to  commemorate the national holiday of Pi...than to eat pie?  Not that we need a reason to justify such acts around here.

Luckily for us, a friend of ours is a great lover a pie, so we thought it would be fun to surprise him with a plethora of them (he had no idea there was such a holiday) after work on Monday night.  The look of shock on his face was hysterical!  It was SO fun surprising him on such a random day and it left us wondering why we don't do more unexpected and thoughtful things for others.   

One of the things I thought about darn-near obsessively during my cleanse was some concoction of mascarpone and fruit.  A favorite treat of mine is a bowlful of berries topped with a rich, sweet cream but since we're not quite in berry season yet, a mascarpone and honey tart sounded like it would do more than just satisfy.

The combination of decadent flavors and the presentation of this tart makes it perfect for a fun occasion, but it's simple enough to make on a whim.  Sweetened lightly with honey, the richness of the cream and mascarpone are perfectly complimented by the bright and sunny flavors of the orange and cinnamon.  Rather than using a regular pie crust, I layered the bottom with graham cracker crumbs and melted chocolate.  Writing this has me wishing I had taken some of the pie home, although my ass is thankful I didn't.

Below is my adaptation of the recipe, but you can find the original at epicurious.com.

Ingredients:

2 cups crushed graham crackers

1/2 cup melted butter

2 tablespoons sugar

2 large bittersweet Ghiradelli chocolate bars

2 large navel oranges

8 ounces chilled mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons honey, divided

2 dashes of cinnamon, or more to taste

2 tablespoons chopped pistachios

Preparation:

Crust:  In a large bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 cup melted butter.  Mixture should be wet and clumping together.  Spread evenly on bottom of tart pan and press up against sides

Chocolate:  Melt chocolate in a double boiler over medium-low heat.  If you don't have one, fill large saucepan halfway with water and place smaller saucepan inside.  Add chocolate and melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Pour over graham cracker crust and cool completely.  

Meanwhile, grate enough orange peel to measure 1 1/4 teaspoons. Cut off remaining peel and pith from oranges. Slice oranges into thin rounds, then cut rounds crosswise in half. Place orange slices on paper towels to drain slightly.

Combine mascarpone, cream, sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, cardamom, and orange peel in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat just until blended and peaks form (do not overbeat or mixture will curdle). Spread filling evenly in cooled crust. Arrange orange slices atop tart in concentric circles; sprinkle with pistachios. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon honey and serve.