A decadent tart with a chocolate tart crust filled with layers of silky chocolate ganache and almond pastry cream. Topped with a layer of lightly sweetened roasted sour cherries, and garnished with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, this tart has an incredible combination of flavors and textures.
1thick chocolate bar, for making chocolate shavings
a handful of fresh cherries, halved and pitted, for garnish (I put one half on each whipped cream swirl)
Instructions
CHOCOLATE TART DOUGH
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt and blend until thoroughly mixed. Add the softened butter and mix on low speed until completely incorporated. The butter should be well mixed in. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
Add 1-2 teaspoons of the cream (start with the smaller amount) and mix on low just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.
Flatten dough into a circular disk. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out between two sheets of parchment paper, turning the paper as needed to create a uniform circular shape. Circle should be at least 11 inches (28cm) in diameter in order to accommodate 9 inch (23cm) circular tart pan.
Remove top layer of parchment (to un-stick the dough), then gently replace. Flip and repeat to un-stick second parchment paper, but do not replace top layer of parchment. Gently invert tart dough onto 9" tart pan that has a removable base. Press the dough into the base and sides of the pan, lifting up the overhang as you go to ensure the dough is pressed firmly into the corners where the pan edge meets the base. If the dough tears at any point, don't panic - simply patch it back together. It's very forgiving.
I like to add a double layer of dough along the edge for a thicker, sturdier tart crust - but it's up to you. Leave singe layered, or fold the additional overhanging dough over and in to meet the inside edge of the base. Press to ensure it's well compressed and even in thickness all around. Before trimming, chill unbaked tart shell in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Place a baking sheet on a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F (177° C, Gas Mark 4).
Trim the excess dough overhanging the pan with a sharp knife. Hold the knife blade parallel to your work surface and run it along the rim of the tart pan to create a flat edge along the top. Using a fork with small tines, dock the tart shell by poking holes around the base of the tart shell to let steam escape.
Line the unbaked shell with a (crumpled then flattened) piece of parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or granulated sugar.
Blind bake tart shell on baking sheet in 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Carefully lift up a corner of the parchment to see if it will release from the crust without tearing. If not, bake 5 additional minutes before removing. Gently remove parchment paper and pie weights/beans and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until base of tart shell is dry and no longer shiny.
Cool tart shell in pan on a cooling rack. It will be soft when it is warm – be gentle and don’t bump it! It will firm up as it cools.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING
Heat cream in microwave (approximately 30 seconds) or over medium heat on stove until steaming and small bubbles form near the edge of the liquid. Do not boil. Add finely chopped chocolate and let sit for a few minutes. Gently stir to form a smooth chocolate mixture.
Pour chocolate ganache into cooled tart shell and spread evenly around base of tart using a mini offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Place into fridge to chill until pastry cream is added.
ALMOND PASTRY CREAM
Prepare an ice bath. Set a medium sized heat-proof bowl (at least 4 cup capacity) into a larger bowl filled with ice and water. Make sure the medium bowl is tall enough that no ice water will enter. Place a fine mesh sieve over the medium bowl.
In a medium (3 quart) saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add the egg yolks and whisk thoroughly until completely combined and no pockets of sugar or cornstarch remain.
Add milk and whisk well to combine. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture has thickened to the consistency of mayonaise or pudding, approximately 5 minutes. If needed, pause whisking briefly to check for bubbles. Once slow bubbles begin to erupt in the middle of the mixture, like geysers burbling, set a timer for 90 seconds and continue to whisk. This extra cooking helps neutralize a starch-digesting enzyme in the egg yolks.
After the timer goes off, immediately remove the pastry cream from the heat and stir in butter and almond extract. Continue to whisk as butter melts to fully incorporate it into the pastry cream. Pour the pastry cream through the sieve into the bowl placed over the ice bath. Immediately place a layer of plastic wrap (or buttered parchment paper) over the top of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Cool for about 20-30 minutes in the ice bath.
Once pastry cream has cooled somewhat, remove the bowl from the ice bath, dry the bottom to avoid water drips, and pour the pastry cream into the ganache lined tart shell. Smooth the pastry cream into an even layer using a mini offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Cover the top of the pastry cream with a new layer of plastic wrap and place tart into the fridge to chill.
SOUR CHERRY FILLING
Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C, Gas Mark 4).
Place cherries (fresh or frozen) into a 9 x 13 pan. If frozen, let sit out until at least partially softened. Add sugar and tapioca starch and stir to thoroughly cover all the cherries.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until cherry mixture thickens and is bubbling in the center of the pan, not just along the edges. If you have an instant read thermometer, the center temperature should read 213° F (100° C). Remove from oven and set aside on a rack to cool slightly.
When cherries are still warm (but cool enough to handle safely), spoon them individually onto the top of the chilled pastry cream, tucking them together snugly so that you can't see any pastry cream peeking out from underneath. I like to start nearest the outer crust and add cherries in a full circle, then repeat until I've worked my way into the center of the tart. Once cherries are added, place tart back into fridge to chill for several hours so everything can firm up.
WHIPPED CREAM AND SHAVED CHOCOLATE GARNISH
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add heavy cream and sugar. Beat on medium until sugar is mixed in, and scrape bowl once to blend in any remaining sugar. Beat on high until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat or mixture will become lumpy and buttery.
Place a jumbo star tip (I use Ateco 869) into a 16" (40cm) piping bag. Scoop the whipped cream into the piping bag and twist the top closed. Holding the bag vertically, pipe 9 - 12 swirls around the outer portion of the tart. If desired, add a smaller circle of stars inside the swirls.
To make chocolate shavings, run a vegetable peeler along the side of a thick chocolate bar. The thicker the bar, the wider the shavings will be. Use a spoon to sprinkle the shavings onto the whipped cream, as the heat of your hands will begin to melt them immediately.
Optional - place half a pitted fresh cherry onto the top of each whipped cream swirl.
Keep refrigerated until immediately before serving.