Tarte au Chocolat

By stancec44

Ingredients

• Custard filling:
• Pate Sucree au chocolat: Keep all ingredients cold and incorporate quickly when mixing
• 4 oz. butter, unsalted
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 c. flour
• Pinch salt
• 1.25 oz. cocoa powder (use extra 'brut' or extra 'rouge')
• 1.5 Tbsp ice water
• 7 oz. good dark chocolate (64% cocoa mass)
• 1 bag Earl Grey tea (or use any kind, or cinnamon stick or fruit puree or vanilla - just adjust liquid accordingly - back off a bit on the milk)
• 1/2 whole milk
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 c. creme fraiche or sour cream (home made ricotta?)
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• Pinch sea salt

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 if convection and 350 if not.

Pate Sucree au Chocolat:Mix butter and sugar in mixer, but don't incorporate fully. Add egg yolk, and mix, and then flour and cocoa and salt (mixture will still be pretty dry and crumbly). Add water a bit at a time and toss with fork. Will still be a bit crumbly. shape into oval and roll out gently to about 1/8" thick on floured parchment paper (not a lot of flour), flipping a couple of times (don't roll edges really thin). Cut out rounds if using individual tart pans, or one large round if using larger springform tart pan. Press down gently into pan, working around the sides, using thumbs and working around the edges, getting it pressed into the corners of the pan well. Using heat proof plastic wrap (there is such a thing, by the way) or parchment, fill with bean and bake until edges are dry, about 10 minutes +/-.

Custard Filling:
Heat milk and steep tea for 5 - 10 minutes or so (can also steep cinnamon sticks or fresh mint or...) Whisk (gently, don't add air to this mixture) in chocolate to melt, then add egg, creme fraiche and cream. Can be made the night before, just cool, cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge. Warm a bit before using.

Fill pie shells pretty full (almost level with edge), and bake in preheated oven (again 325/convection - 350 still) for only about 5 minutes for the individual pans. Will still be loose, but will set. Cool and put in fridge for a bit before pulling out of pan.

Accompaniments. Coat rice krispies or roughly crushed corn flakes with melted chocolate and spread on parchment paper on baking sheet. Put in fridge and break up into 1 large piece to go with each tart, or crumble on top. Brandied cherries are also good, and some whipped cream on top. Candied (not too sweet) orange or grapefruit slices might be good, too.