Superbly Rich Chocolate Tart Recipes

CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the pastry. Combine the egg yolk with the ice water in a small bowl, whisking to blend; pour it into the well and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Carefully roll the dough up onto the pin (this may take a little practice) and lay it inside a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan so it fits tightly; press the edges into the sides of the pan. It is important to press the dough evenly into every nook and corner of the ring, especially the scalloped edges. Shave off the excess hanging dough with a knife. Put the tart in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to relax.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the tart pan on a sturdy cookie sheet so it will be easy to move in and out of the oven. Line the tart with aluminum foil and add pie weights or dried beans to keep the sides of the tart from buckling. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and weights. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the crust with a beaten egg white. Return to the oven and continue to bake for another 8 minutes until the tart is golden in color, but not brown. Remember the tart will be cooked again with the filling. It should be cooked but light in color so that it will not burn on the second bake. Set aside to cool and lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• To make the filling: Heat the heavy cream and milk in a pot over medium-low flame, until it simmers slightly around the edges. Remove from the heat; add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smoothed out. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until well incorporated. Beat the eggs in a small bowl until blended and add them to the chocolate mixture, stir until completely blended. Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell and bake at 325 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is set and the surface is glossy. If you see any bubbles or cracks forming on the surface, take the tart out right away - that means it is beginning to become over baked. Cool before cutting.

SUPERBLY RICH CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl combine 1 1/2 cups of flour 1/2 tsp salt,1 tbs powdered sugar and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of butter and mix well until fully incorporated and you have a coarse, cornmeal like texture. Add 3 tablespoons of ice water , mix well, then knead into a soft ball. Cover and place in fridge for 20 minutes. When dough is chilled roll out , place in tart pan, pierce bottom well with a fork and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until golden brown. When tart shell is ready set on a wire rack to cool.
• In a sauce pan combine 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 3 tbs sugar, 4 ounces bakers chocolate, 4 tbs butter. Turn heat on to medium while stirring with a wire whisk to prevent chocolate from sticking to bottom of pan. When all ingredients are melted and mixture begins to bubble remove from heat and pour into tart shell. Tap pan on counter to remove any air bubbles then place in fridge to chill and set.
• Prepare a small amount of heavy syrup in a small saucepan by boiling together 3 tablespoons of sugar with 6 tablespoons of water. When syrup has thickened and is bubbling pour into a bowl.
• In a double boiler melt together 3 ounces bakers chocolate and 2 tbs butter stirring well. When melted add 1 tsp to 1 tablespoon of the syrup mixture to give the tart glaze a nice shine. When all ingredients are thoroughly mixed let sit for just a few moments then pour over tart. Shake pan lightly so glaze spreads evenly to the edges of the tart. Set in fridge for several hours to chill and set.
• When tart is chilled garnish with chocolate ganache or whipped cream and serve.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Crust: Combine cookies and sugar in food processor.
• Pulse until cookies are finely crushed.
• Add melted butter in stream and process until crust is evenly moistened and begins to come together.
• Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up side of 9-inch round pan with removable bottom.
• Filling: Place chocolate in bowl.
• Heat cream in medium-size saucepan just until simmering.
• Pour over chocolate; let stand 2 minutes.
• Stir until smooth.
• Pour into bottom of prepared crust.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes or freeze 10 minutes, until firm.
• Beat together 1 cup of milk and the whipped topping mix in large bowl as per package directions.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Top with pudding mix and remaining milk; beat until well blended and consistency of sour cream.
• Spread into tart shell, swirling top decoratively, if desired.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm to the touch.
• Garnish with chocolate curls.

SALTED CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Equipment: 23cm/10in deep-sided (approx. 5cm/2in deep), loose-bottomed flan tin.
• For the base:.
• Snap the biscuits into pieces and drop them into the bowl of a food processor. Do likewise with the chocolate, then blitz them together until you have crumbs. Add the butter and salt, and blitz again until the mixture starts to clump together. If you're doing this by hand, bash the biscuits in a freezer bag until they form crumbs, finely chop the chocolate and melt the butter, then mix everything, along with the salt, in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or your hands encased in disposable vinyl gloves.
• Press into your tart tin and pat down on the bottom and up the sides of the tin with your hands or the back of a spoon, so that the base and sides are evenly lined and smooth. Put into the fridge to chill and harden for at least 1 hour, or 2 hours if your fridge is stacked. I wouldn't keep it for longer than a day like this as the Oreo crust tends to get too crumbly.
• For the filling:.
• Finely chop the chocolate. Put the cornflour into a cup and whisk in the milk until smooth. (I find it easier to use cups for the liquids - in which case the milk measure is equivalent to an American quarter cup, and you'll need 2 cups of cream.).
• Pour the cream into a heavy-based saucepan into which all the ingredients can fit and be stirred without splashing out of the pan, then add the finely chopped rubble of chocolate, the sieved cocoa (or just sieve it straight in), espresso or instant coffee powder, sugar, vanilla paste or extract, olive oil and smoked salt. Place over a medium to low heat and whisk gently - I use a very small whisk for this, as I'm not aiming to get air in the mixture, I'm just trying to banish any lumpiness - as the cream heats and the chocolate starts melting.
• Off the heat, whisk in the cornflour and milk mixture until it, too, is smoothly incorporated, and put the pan back on a low heat. With a wooden spoon, keep stirring until the mixture thickens, which it will do around the 10-minute mark, but be prepared for it to take a few minutes more or less. Take the pan off the heat every so often, still stirring, so that everything melds together, without the cream coming to a boil. When ready, it should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, and if you run your finger through it (across the back of the spoon) the line should stay.
• Pour into a wide measuring jug or batter jug (it should come to about the 600ml/2 1/2 cup mark). Now run a piece of baking parchment or greaseproof paper under the cold tap, wring it out and place the damp, crumpled piece right on top of the chocolate mixture, then put the jug into the fridge for 15 minutes. The mixture will still be warm, but will be the right temperature to ooze into the base without melting it.
• Pour and scrape the mixture into the biscuit-lined flan tin and put back in the fridge overnight. Don't leave it longer than 24 hours, as the base will start to soften.
• Take out of the fridge for 10 minutes before serving, but unmould straight away. Sit the flan tin on top of a large tin or jar and let the ring part fall away, then transfer the dramatically revealed tart to a plate or board. Leave the tin base on.
• Slice modestly - this is rich and sweet, and people can always come back for more - and serve with crème fraîche; the sharpness is just right here. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days, but the base will soften and the sides crumble a bit. That will not detract from your eating pleasure too much, but I still like to give it its first outing at optimal stage!
• MAKE AHEAD NOTES: Base can be made 1 day ahead. When firm, cover and keep refrigerated until needed. Tart/filling can be made 1 day ahead. Fill tart and refrigerate overnight, until set. Tent with foil, trying not to touch the surface of the tart.
• STORE NOTE: Store the tart in fridge until needed. Leftovers will keep in fridge for 4-5 days. The base will soften gradually as the tart stands.

CLASSIC CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until crumbly. Slowly add water to food processor until mixture comes together. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Flour a work surface and a rolling pin. Roll out dough into a 10-inch disc.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch tart pan.
• Carefully place dough into the prepared tart pan. Trim dough from the edges of the pan. Prick holes into the dough on the bottom and along the sides of the pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 20 to 23 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Pour heavy whipping cream into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes or until bubbles start to form along outside of the bowl. Add chocolate chips and let sit for 15 to 20 seconds. Whisk until smooth. Pour chocolate ganache into cooled crust. Let cool at room temperature until set, about 30 minutes. Keep refrigerated.

NO BAKE STRAWBERRY CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Crust:.
• Place cookies (with cream fillings) in a food processor and blend until crumbs form.
• Pour melted butter over the crushed cookies. Continue to blend until evenly moistened.
• Using a spatula (or the back of a spoon), press cookie mixture into the bottom and edges of a rectangular 5 x 14" tart pan.
• Freeze until you prepare the filling.
• Filling:.
• In a small saucepan, place cream over medium-low heat for a few minutes to get hot. No boiling or simmering necessary.
• Remove from heat, pour over chopped chocolate and let rest for 1-2 minutes. Stir well until chocolate and cream is completely dissolved.
• Remove Oreo crust from the freezer and pour in chocolate filling. Smooth as necessary.
• Top with strawberries and nuts.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) before serving.

JACQUES TORRES' CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Heat heavy cream and honey in a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat until bubbled begin to form.
• Place chopped chocolate in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
• Add half the hot cream to chocolate, let mixture stand for about 30 seconds undisturbed, then stir lightly to combine. Repeat with remaining cream, then stir the resulting ganache gently until all chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Add butter, and whisk until well blended.
• Fill shell with ganache, transfer to a baking sheet, and refrigerate until filling is set (about 1 1/2 hours). When ready, remove tart from refrigerator, and serve.