The other kind of sage

The latest psychology book I just plowed through is Mindwise (2014) by Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The main theme is that we (human beings) all have a sixth sense: the amazing ability to read other people's minds. The problem is that there are lots of reasons we get it all wrong when we're trying to understand what other people think, believe, feel, and want.

For example, one of the problems is that we suffer from naive realism, which Prof. Epley defines as "the intuitive sense that we see the world out there as it actually is, rather than as it appears from our own perspective" compared to how others are seeing things from their perspectives. In other words, "I'm O.K., [but] You're Biased," as the Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert put it in a 2006 opinion piece in the New York Times. The notion that I'm always right, and you're not (unless you agree with me), obviously leads to plenty of differences of opinion.

Since we can't really know exactly what someone else is thinking, much as we'd like to think we do, we use various strategies to fill in the gaps, including stereotypes. One stereotype you'll all be intimately familiar with is that cognitive functions, including reasoning, perceptual speed, short-term memory, and vocabulary (particularly the names of people and things—"nouns," as Brad puts it), all decline precipitously with age, starting around age 50 or so. Now, there is actually evidence to support this (like me watching Jeopardy! nowadays), but Prof. Epley's point is to ask whether observing age-related decreases in cognitive functioning is teaching us something about inevitable biological decline, or rather about how stereotypes could be self-fulfilling? In other words, maybe it's the case that people's mental functioning goes down as they age because they expect it to. There is some evidence that this may be the case in that "[c]ultures that revere the elderly as wise, sage, and learned—such as in parts of China—do not show the same degree of decline observed in cultures with more negative views of the elderly—such as in most of the United States," including, apparently, Charlottesville, Virginia. The clear lesson here (you knew it was coming, right?) is to treat your elders (esp. your parents) as the wise, sage, and learned people they are, rather than deriding us as "old" every chance you get. Besides, it's in your own self-interest for us to defy the stereotype so you don't have to start caring for us a lot sooner than you might like.

It's kind of fascinating that Prof. Epley spends the first 170 of the book's 188 pages (not including the copious endnotes) detailing the limits of trying to divine what other people are thinking and feeling before offering his prescription, which boils down to not using your sixth sense but instead getting others just to tell you what's on their minds. An example of this is gift giving, which the science shows is better for everyone involved if the giver either asks what the recipient wants or at least listens carefully while the recipient drops hints. Prof. Epley recognizes that his solution may not always be easy to implement, but the bottom line is that "[k]nowing the shortcomings of your own social sense should push you to be more open in sharing what's in your own mind with others, but also more open to listening to others."

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Here is a little something with very few shortcomings, at least if you like your desserts intensely chocolate-y but not too sweet. Mom gave this her highest rating, and Mary Alice ("absolutely delicious") and Mr. Graham ("could eat the crust just by itself") were also fans, as was my buddy Ed ("elegant," "beautiful to behold," "impressive," and "company worthy," among other things). (This tart is incredibly rich, so a little goes a long way, which does make it especially nice to share with others.) Here is a video of Alison Roman making the tart, which really is a snap to put together: 

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Step 3

Step 4 (with tahini)

Step 4 (with almond butter)

Dark Chocolate Tart

Adapted from Dining In (2017) by Alison Roman via BuzzFeed

Time: ~50 minutes total (10 minutes to make the dough)

Roman says to use a bittersweet chocolate with at least 68% cacao. I went with my standard Trader Joe’s Pound Plus 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate. Roman makes this with tahini but says that almond butter and peanut butter work in place of the tahini. I've made it with both tahini and almond butter and prefer the latter for the more neutral flavor, which lets the chocolate shine more; I'll pass on the peanut butter.

Crust
110 grams (~⅞ cup) all-purpose flour
28 grams (¼ cup) confectioners’ sugar
21 grams (¼ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
113 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling
283 grams/10 ounces dark chocolate (see note)
170 grams (⅔ cup) almond butter or tahini, stirred well (see note)
Pinch of kosher salt
232 grams (1 cup) heavy cream
85 grams (¼ cup) honey
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon or Jacobsen, for sprinkling

    1. For the crust: Place a rack in the center of the oven; heat to 350 degrees. Have ready a 9-inch tart pan (like the one you use for Blueberry Tart) or springform pan; there is no need to grease it.
    2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Drizzle the melted butter over the top. Using a silicone spatula or your hands, mix until well combined. (Roman says it has a texture like Play-Doh modeling compound when it's properly mixed, but I can’t remember if any of you actually ever played with Play-Doh.) Using your fingers, patiently press the dough evenly into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan.
    3. Bake until the crust is set and looks like a big chocolate cookie, about 15 to 17 minutes. It’s a dark dough so you can’t really tell when it’s done by looking at it, but when you press the center it should be firm, not squishy or greasy. Cool on a wire rack. (The crust doesn’t have to be completely cool when you pour the filling in, but it should at least be mostly cool.)
    4. For the filling: While the tart is cooling, chop the chocolate into very small pieces. Use a paper towel to wipe clean the same bowl you mixed the crust dough in. Transfer the chopped chocolate to that bowl. Add the almond butter or tahini and a pinch of salt.
    5. Combine the cream and honey in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat. Bring to a bare simmer (no more); you’re looking for just a few bubbles to break the surface. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and tahini. Cover the bowl with a plate or a tea towel and let sit for about 5 minutes.
    6. Using a silicone spatula, stir gently until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth and the mixture is glossy and a little thicker. (In the recipe, Roman says to use “quite a bit of elbow grease here—really commit.” In the video, on the other hand, she says the mixing “should require almost no muscle on my part.” Go with the video: If you use a whisk or too much elbow grease to mix the ganache, you will have a thick chocolate frosting, not a pourable tart filling.)
    7. Pour and scrape the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top. Sprinkle with flaky salt to your liking. Roman says to let the tart sit for at least 1 hour before slicing, but it will take at least 2 to 3 hours to firm up enough. The tart can, in theory, be stored at room temperature, for a day. It will last longer in the fridge, but be sure to take it out and let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour before serving. Serves 8 to 12.