Chocolate tart with meringue cream
Description
Delicious pastry for the whole family. First, prepare the base. Crush crackers in a food processor into fine crumbs. Mix the crumbs with melted butter, sugar, and salt. Preheat the oven to 290 degrees. Beat 125 g of cream cheese with ½ cup of sugar, 1 cup of flour, and lemon zest. Add vanilla and eggs, then continue beating at low speed. Pour the mixture into a buttered baking pan. Press the mixture down firmly. Bake for 12–15 minutes. Once the base is ready, let it cool completely before adding the filling. Now prepare the filling. Melt chocolate over a water bath. Mix the remaining 100 g of cream cheese with sugar and vanilla sugar. Beat the mixture until smooth. The sugar may not dissolve completely—don't worry about that. Add cocoa powder and mix again. Gradually pour the melted chocolate into the beaten cheese mixture. Beat again until smooth and uniform. Evenly spread the filling over the cooled base and refrigerate overnight. Right before serving, prepare the topping. Beat 7 egg whites with powdered sugar and vanilla sugar using a mixer until you achieve a light, airy foam. The cream should not be runny. To test readiness, lift the whisk: if the cream drips, it's not ready; if it holds firmly like a cloud, it's ready to be spread over the tart. The pastry is ready. Serve and enjoy!