3 Ingredient Chocolate Cranberry Tart

1. Grease an 11-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom (I use propellant free avocado spray).   Set aside.
2. Place the apples in a large stock pot.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Thoroughly drain the apples then transfer to the bowl of a food processor.
3. Process the apples until they are completely smooth.  Add in the warm melted chocolate and process until a very smooth batter is formed.
4. Stir in the sweetened dried cranberries.
5. Pour the batter into the tart pan and smooth the top.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 24.
6. Remove the tart from the outer ring and garnish with sugared fresh cranberries/sweetened dried cranberries and fresh mint.

Sugared Fresh Cranberries 

1. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.
2. In a medium pot, whisk together the cup of sugar and water.   Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Cook for an additional 2 minutes, then remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool slightly.  This is simple syrup.
3. Toss the cranberries in the syrup until completely coated.  Allow the cranberries to rest in the syrup for 15 minutes.  
4. Using a slotted spoon or sieve, remove the cranberries from the syrup shaking off the excess liquid, and place them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. The remaining syrup is cranberry simple syrup.
5. Allow the cranberries to rest for an hour and a half, they should still be slightly sticky afterwards.  
6. Roll the cranberries to completely coat with the remaining syrup on the sheet.
7. Place 1/2 cup of sugar in a bowl or casserole dish.  Roll the coated cranberries in the sugar.  Transfer to a clean plate or bowl.  Store refrigerated in an airtight container.
8. You can also make sugared mint leaves using the same process.  Store the remaining cranberry/mint simple syrup in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator.

Cranberry Mint Julep

Directions found on the GQ YouTube site.  

1. Take the mint leaves and 1/2 ounce of the cranberry simple syrup and place them in a “julep” cup.  Muddle the two together (I had to look up what that meant ;)) to extract the oils in the mint but not to pulverize it.
2. Add the bourbon, then crushed ice.
3. Stir then garnish with additional ice, sugared cranberries and fresh mint.