Here’s a recipe many of you were waiting for, and which was a big hit on social media. Yet there’s nothing complicated about it: it’s a chocolate tart, a classic I’d never made before. For the recipe, I was tempted by Titouan Claudet’s, published in Arts et gastronomie magazine no. 15. I added tonka bean, which I adore and which pairs wonderfully with chocolate. And to make this tart even more indulgent, I added pieces of caramelised hazelnut.
I brought this dessert to school and it was an unbelievable success! Chocolate lovers can treat themselves to a nice big slice, while those who are a little more hesitant can take just a tiny one. In fact, I’ve indicated that it’s a dessert for 8 people (18-20 cm ring), but at school I cut this tart into 12 slices!
Anyway, go for it — it’s an ultra-easy and really delicious recipe!
Ingredients & Method
4 components · Full recipe
Sweet Pastry
Ingredients
- 135 g (4.8 oz) unsalted butter
- 70 g (2.5 oz) sugar
- 1 large egg
- 250 g (8.8 oz) flour
- 1 g (0 oz) salt
Method
1
Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix in the sugar. Add the egg, then the sifted flour and salt, and knead briefly until the dough comes together into a ball.
2
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
3
Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F.
4
Roll the dough out to 2–3 mm thick with a rolling pin. Prick lightly with a fork, then cut a circle slightly larger than your tart ring.
5
Lay the dough in the ring (fork holes facing down).
6
A few tips for lining a tart ring: bring the dough against the inside of the ring and, using your index finger, create a right angle all the way around. Form a slight inner lip, roll the pin over the top to trim the excess, then pinch the dough upward to form a neat edge (video tutorial available).
7
Line the tart base with baking parchment and fill with ceramic baking beans or dried pulses. Bake for 15 minutes, then leave to cool.
8
Once the tart base is baked and cooled, use a Microplane grater to smooth any rough edges.
Chocolate Tonka Ganache
Ingredients
- 200 g (7.1 oz) dark chocolate
- 100 g (3.5 oz) milk chocolate
- 250 g (8.8 oz) whole liquid cream
- 50 g (1.8 oz) honey
- 2 vanilla pods
- 1 g (0 oz) fleur de sel
- 80 g (2.8 oz) butter
- 13 g (0.5 oz) whole milk
- ½ tonka bean
Method
1
In a small saucepan, heat the cream with the vanilla seeds and the grated tonka bean. Add the fleur de sel, milk and honey.
2
Meanwhile, break the chocolate into pieces in a tall, narrow container (I use a jug).
3
When the liquid reaches 75°C / 167°F, pour it over the chocolate. Emulsify with a stick blender until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
4
When the ganache has cooled to around 40°C / 104°F, gradually incorporate the butter and emulsify again until the ganache is perfectly smooth, being careful not to incorporate air bubbles. Set aside.
Caramelised Hazelnuts
Ingredients
- 125 g (4.4 oz) hazelnuts
- 25 g (0.9 oz) water
- 65 g (2.3 oz) sugar
- 2.5 g (0.1 oz) unsalted butter
- 1 pinch fleur de sel
Method
1
Toast the hazelnuts in a preheated oven at 150°C / 300°F for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, leave to cool, then rub off the skins.
2
Roughly chop the hazelnuts (not too finely).
3
Put the sugar and water in a saucepan and cook to 118°C / 244°F. Check with a thermometer — if you don’t have one, wait for small bubbles to appear.
4
Off the heat, pour the chopped hazelnuts into the sugar syrup and stir until they are coated in a white sandy sugar.
5
Return the pan to a medium heat. Stir constantly as the sugar begins to dissolve. The hazelnuts will caramelise gradually — be careful not to burn them.
6
When the hazelnuts are golden, add the butter and fleur de sel and mix well. Turn out onto a sheet of baking parchment or a silicone mat. Leave to cool and store in a dry place (these can be made the day before).
Assembly
Ingredients
- None
Method
1
Pour the ganache over the tart base.
2
Leave to cool at room temperature first, then refrigerate for a minimum of 2–3 hours to allow the ganache to set firmly.
3
Arrange the caramelised hazelnut pieces around the edge of the tart.
4
Note: in the photos, the ganache holds its shape when sliced but remains creamy. The photos were taken 1–2 hours after assembly. The tart was actually eaten the following day, by which point the ganache was beautifully set.
Gallery
