I headed to the Internet to see if I could find recipes that used both ingredients, thinking maybe I was on to a gastronomic breakthrough. What I found, however, is chocolate and buttermilk combined in a Southern treat called chocolate buttermilk pie. I suppose I'll have to find something else for my breakthrough.

I approached the idea of marrying these two ingredients skeptically, though I was encouraged that chocolate and sour cream go together beautifully to make a rich and delicious frosting. Given that success, I thought perhaps the tang of buttermilk could play well with the flavor of chocolate, so I gave it a try.

It turned out to be a terrific combination - I made individual tartlets with a filling recipe adapted from the Hershey's kitchen. The tart pastry is a divine recipe from "Sweet Miniatures" by Flo Braker that I use exclusively. It rolls out easily and the scraps can be gathered and re-rolled a couple of times without getting tough.

If you don't have a tart pan or tartlet pans, you can make this as a pie. Use your favorite pie crust to line a deep dish pan and use all the filling to make one big pie. It will have to bake longer because of the increased depth of the filling.

While I really liked the tarts, I thought the taste could be enhanced. But for a long time I wasn't sure which direction to take the flavor. Inspiration struck in an odd way, as it often does.

I was talking with a friend about Russell Stover chocolates, saying how I made a beeline for the molasses chews whenever a box came my way, when I realized that adding molasses to this filling could approximate those treats. After adding molasses to the filling it was close, but I was still not satisfied.

My husband then proved to me again one of the reasons I married him. He suggested the perfect finishing touch of a bourbon-laced whipped cream. The flavors all harmonize with and complement each other, and the bonus is that since cultured buttermilk is naturally low in fat, you can claim that this is a healthy alternative to a traditional chocolate pie - but you won't have to.

As a final note, this recipe freezes well. Wrap baked and cooled tart(s) tightly in plastic wrap and put in a Ziploc bag, and store in the freezer for up to two months.

Darcie Boschee is a freelance food writer. Reach her at bosch...@yahoo.com. For more of her recipes, visit her blog, bakin-n-bacon.typepad.com.

Chocolate Buttermilk Tarts

Makes eight 4-inch or two 9-inch tarts.

Tart shells:

    2 1/2    cups all purpose flour

    1/8    teaspoon salt

    1/3    cup granulated sugar

    8    ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/4 inch slices

    1    large egg

    1    teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:

    1 1/2    cups semisweet chocolate, chopped (good-quality baking chips like Ghirardelli are fine)

    3/4    cup granulated sugar

    2    tablespoons flour

    4    eggs

    2    tablespoons molasses

    1    tablespoon vanilla extract

    1    cup buttermilk, room temperature

Topping:

    1/2    cup heavy whipping cream

    2    tablespoons granulated sugar

    1    tablespoon bourbon or whiskey (more or less to taste)

For the crust:

PUT the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Pulse just to blend ingredients. Scatter butter slices over the flour mixture, and process with on/off bursts until mixture has the consistency of coarse cornmeal.

WHISK the egg and vanilla together in a small bowl. With the motor running, pour the egg mixture slowly down the feed tube. Process just until ingredients start to form a ball. Remove the dough to the work surface, and press together until smooth and cohesive.

HEAT oven to 350°.

DIVIDE dough into two pieces and roll out one at a time on lightly floured surface. Carefully transfer to tart pans with removable bottoms. Fix any tears by pressing dough together. Press dough into bottom and sides of pan and roll rolling pin over the top of the tart pan to make neat edges.

BAKE uncovered, just until center of dough loses its sheen and starts to look dry, about 5 minutes for small tarts and 8 minutes for large tarts.

REMOVE from oven and set aside while making filling.

For the filling:

PLACE the chopped chocolate into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute on 50 percent power, remove and stir. Repeat until fully melted.

STIR in sugar and flour until fully blended.

BEAT in eggs, one a time, until completely incorporated.

STIR in molasses, vanilla and buttermilk until mixture is smooth and homogenous.

POUR filling into tart shells and return to oven.

BAKE for 10 to 15 minutes for small tarts; 30 to 35 minutes for larger tarts, or until filling is set around edges and only the center one-third jiggles a little.

REMOVE from oven and cool on a rack to room temperature. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until cold.

PLACE, just before serving, whipping cream in medium bowl.

ADD sugar and bourbon to taste, and beat on medium speed until firm peaks form.

SERVE tarts with a dollop of whipped cream.