makes one 9-inch tart

1. In a heavy saucepan, bring 1/4 cup water and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup in a covered pan, without stirring; you can either swirl the pan, or wash down the sides of the pot with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals that have clung, until it begins to turn golden. Carefully add cream (mixture will bubble up) and return pan to heat. Add butter, honey, and salt, stirring until butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in walnuts and simmer, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Meanwhile, roll half of the pate sucree between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into an 11-inch circle. Fit pastry into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. To trim the dough evenly, roll the rolling pin over the tart pan. Chill for 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Heat oven to 400. Fill tart shell with cooled walnut mixture, spreading evenly with a rubber spatula. Roll out remaining dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into an 11-inch circle. Transfer to tart shell. Press top crust edge to bottom crust to seal. Roll rolling pin over tart pan to trim edge. Freeze for 20 minutes.

4. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet until crust is golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

5. In a double boiler over barely simmering watere, melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Cool chocolate and transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a very small plain tip, like an Ateco #2 tip. Pipe chocolate in a circular pattern over entire surface of tart. Let chocolate set at room temperature, about 1 to 2 hours.

Pate Sucree (Makes two 11-inch shells):

1. Place the flour and sugar in the food processor; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, 10 to 20 seconds.

2. Lightly beat egg yolks; add ice water. Add to food processor while machine is running; process until the dough holds together.

3. Divide dough into two batches; turn out onto two separate pieces of plastic wrape. Flatten each into a circle, and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 1 hour.