Chocolate Tart with Pine Nuts

By SallySmo

Ingredients

• For the dough
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup ground pine nuts
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Nonstick cooking spray or butter for the pan
• For the filling
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt

Preparation

Step 1

Make the dough

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, almond meal, pine nuts and sea salt. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fit with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Reduce the speed to low, add the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined.

3. Roll the dough between sheets of parchment paper to about 1/8-inch thickness. Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176° C). Coat a 10-inch tart or springform pan with a removable bottom with nonstick cooking spray or butter.

5. Press the dough onto the bottom and sides of the pan. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until firm to the touch. Don’t worry if the crust slouches down the edge of the pan a little as it bakes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool.

Make the filling
6. Melt the chocolate in a largish bowl set over but not touching a pot of barely simmering water. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.

7. In the bowl of an electric mixer fit with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs and sugar on high speed until very pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Then whip in the vanilla and sea salt. Gently fold a third of the egg mixture into the chocolate just until incorporated to lighten the mixture, then gently fold in the remaining egg mixture.

8. Immediately pour the filling over the cooled crust and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and set. A skewer or toothpick stuck into the center of the tart should show some crumbs but not a runny filling. Let cool before slicing into wedges.

-Jonathan Waxman via Leite's Culinaria