Chocolate Tart - Not Just for Breakfast Anymore !

 

This week’s bake is a Chocolate Truffle Tart from Chef Anna Olson of Oh Yum !

It has an all chocolate crust topped with a bittersweet chocolate truffle layer and a fluffy semisweet chocolate layer covered with shaved chocolate !  

A French invention, the original chocolate truffle was a ball of ganache, chocolate and cream, often flavored and rolled in cocoa as shown in the photo at the left. It was named after the precious black truffle fungus because of its physical resemblance. 

According to legend, the chocolate truffle was created in the kitchen of French culinary giant Auguste Escoffier during the 1920s. One day, as his stagiaire (apprentice) attempted to make pastry cream, he accidentally poured hot cream into a bowl of chocolate chunks rather than the bowl of sugared egg he should have aimed for. As the chocolate and cream mixture hardened, he found he could work the chocolate paste with his hands to form a bumpy, lopsided ball. After rolling the new creation in cocoa powder, he was struck by their resemblance to the luxurious truffles from the French Périgord region and the Piedmont area of Italy. As the concept developed, different truffle textures were created by rolling the center ganache in white confectioners sugar or finely chopped nuts, and the ganache was flavored with Champagne and liqueurs.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

Crust

1 ¼ (185 g) cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup (30 g) Dutch process cocoa powder

¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar

¼ tsp (2 g) Salt

½ cup (115 g) cool (not cold) butter, cut into pieces

1 large egg yolk

1 Tbsp (15 ml) cool water

Truffle Layer

½ cup (125 ml) whipping cream

4 oz (115 g) chopped bittersweet chocolate

2 Tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

Fluffy Layer

3 large eggs

1/3 cup (70 g) granulated sugar

2 Tbsp (30 ml) water

1 pinch salt

12 oz (340 g) milk chocolate, chopped

½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream

1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

Chocolate shavings, for décor

Directions

Crust

1. For the crust, sift the flour, cocoa, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and cut in (using a pastry cutter, if mixing by hand) until a rough crumbly texture, and no large bits of butter are visible. Whisk the egg yolk and water together and add this to the bowl, and blend until the dough just comes together. Shape this into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.

2. Lightly knead the dough a minute on a lightly floured surface, to soften it just slightly. Roll the dough out into a circle just under 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick. Line a 9-inch (23 cm) fluted removable-bottom tart pan with the pastry and press in, trimming away any excess. Chill this for at least 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Dock the bottom of the pastry with a fork (this prevents the crust from developing air pockets) and bake for about 20 minutes, until the pastry loses its shine at the centre of the shell. Cool the pan on a rack and keep the oven at 325ºF (160ºC).

Truffle Layer

1. For the truffle layer, bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan (watch it carefully – it will boil up quickly) and pour this over the chopped chocolate. Let this sit for 30 seconds then slowly stir it until smooth. Whisk in the sugar. Break the egg into a small dish and stir it a little before adding to the chocolate along with the vanilla and whisking in well. Pour the truffle filling into the cooled shell and bake for 10 minutes (there will be no visible difference – it will still seem fluid). Cool the tart on a rack and then chill for at least an hour.

Fluffy Layer

1. For the fluffy layer, whisk the eggs, sugar, water and salt in a metal bowl placed over a pot of gently simmering water and whisk vigorously until the mixture holds a ribbon when the whisk is lifted, about 8 minutes. Pour this directly over the chopped milk chocolate and whisk until smooth, returning to the heat if needed, to make sure there are no unmelted chocolate bits. Set aside to cool to room temperature (this won’t take too long).

2. Using electric beaters, or placing the chocolate base into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, add the butter and whip until it is fully incorporated. In a separate bowl whip the cream and vanilla to a soft peak and fold into the chocolate until evenly combined. Spread this over the tart (it will be soft but not fluid) and chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

Use a vegetable peeler to make chocolate shavings and sprinkle them overtop the tart.

Here are some pictures from the bake:

HAVE A GREAT DAY!