Jacques Torres' Earl Grey Chocolate Tart

By sadams1001

This recipe for Earl Grey chocolate tart, from star pastry chef Jacques Torres, adds the haunting flavor of the bergamot-laced tea to a silky-smooth, dark, gooey chocolate filling, to spectacular effect. It's a delicious twist on a classic dessert, and it matches well with Port.

Ingredients

• For the pastry dough:
• • 5 tablespoons (1/2 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• • 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
• • 2 tablespoons almond flour
• • 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• • Pinch of salt
• • 1 cup cake flour
• For the filling:
• • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• • 1/4 cup Earl Grey tea leaves
• • 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• • 3 tablespoons honey
• • 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
• • Cocoa powder, shaved chocolate curls, edible flowers and/or whipped cream for garnish (optional)

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from winespectator.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. To make the dough, beat the butter, confectioner's sugar, almond flour and egg yolk with a handheld electric mixer at medium speed just until combined. Add the flour, and mix on low speed just until the dough clumps together. Gather up the dough and press into a thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a month.)

2. Rap the disk a few times with a rolling pin to slightly soften the dough. Unwrap the dough and place on a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour and roll out into a 1/8-inch thick round about 12 inches in diameter.

3. Fold up the round onto the rolling pin and unroll over a 9 1/4-inch round tart pan. Fit into the pan, being sure to press the dough into the corners. With a fork, pierce the bottom of the dough in an even pattern about 20 times. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Remove the plastic wrap, and bake the dough until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire cake-rack.

5. To make the filling, bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove pan from heat and add the tea. Let stand for 8 minutes. Strain the cream through a fine-mesh wire sieve into a bowl, pressing the leaves with a rubber spatula to extract all of the cream, then return the cream to the saucepan and reheat to a simmer.

6. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand for 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in the honey and butter. Pour into the tart shell. Refrigerate until the filling sets, about 1 hour.

7. Slice the tart and serve chilled. Decorating options include cocoa powder, curls of shaved chocolate, small edible flowers, such as Johnny-jump-ups or violets, or piped small rosettes of whipped cream.