I’m not a fan of chocolate tart in French pastry making. Most of the time, it’s much too strong in chocolate. I tested a new recipe, inspired by Philippe Conticini, and this tart changed my mind. The praliné ganache gives a new dimension to this pastry. I strongly suggest you to test it once in your life, you will be amazed by its balance and sweetness. Hope you’ll enjoy it !
This recipe is for 6 people
Time required : 1 h 30
Baking time : 20 - 25 min
Resting time : 1 h
DIRECTIONS
Dough:
65 g butter
2 g salt
47 g icing sugar
25 g egg
18 g cocoa powder
107 g flour
17 g almond powder
Mix soft butter with icing sugar and egg with a spatula.
Spread the flour, cocoa powder, almond powder and salt on the work surface. Dig a hole in the middle and pour the previous mixture of butter on it.
Don’t mix the ingredients with your hand. Use a spatula, and make cutting moves (imagine you’re holding a knife). The aim is to avoid activating gluten contained in the flour. So do not knead the dough. Make it homogenous with cutting moves.
Fraiser ( crush the dough with your palm) 2 to 3 times and form a ball.
Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of 2mm. Put the dough in your fridge until use.
‘Fonce’ the tart in a mould tart and bake it for 20 to 25 minutes at 175°C/347°F.
I suggest you unmould the pie crust when it’s still hot, otherwise it will stick to the mould. Be careful, this step is delicate.
Chocolate ganache :
85 g liquid cream
30 g dark chocolate
30 g milk chocolate
10 g butter
In a saucepan, heat the cream up to 80°C/176°F
Put the chocolate in a mixing bowl, and pour the hot cream in it. Let the chocolate melt for 5 min (do not mix).
Use a spatula or a whip and do circle motion in the center of the bowl until the mixture turns into an homogenous cream. The goal ain’t to add air, but to emulsify a creamy ganache.
Add the butter when the ganache is still hot so it can melt properly.
Cover the ganache with a plastic film in contact.
Keep the ganache at room temperature (22 to 24°C)
Praliné :
30 g water
80 g sugar
100 g hazelnuts
100 g almond
Roast your nuts for 10-15min at 150°C/300°F in the oven
In a frying pan, pour the sugar and water to make a syrup and bring to a boil up to 114°C/237°F. Once the temperature is reached, you can add the nuts and coat it with the flowing syrup while continuing to stir.
A whitish layer will form around the nuts and on the walls of the pan. The melted sugar is crystallizing, hence this white and granular film. Let the nuts caramelize at low to medium heat .
Melting the sugar takes 5 to 10 minutes depending on the amount of nuts used. Never stop stirring the mixture or the nuts will not be evenly coloured. Some parts will be burnt, and others barely caramelized.
Once the nuts are well coated with caramel, remove them directly from the heat. Let them cool on a parchment paper or on a cold surface.
Keep ⅓ of your nuts for the presentation.
When the nuts are still a bit hot but not scorching, blend them to make nuts powder . And keep mixing for 5 to 10 minutes until the powder becomes a paste. Your mixer should be powerful enough, otherwise you will be stuck at the powder stage.
Whipped ganache :
85 g liquid cream
1,5 g gelatin or agar-agar
7,5 g water
25 g praliné
40 g cold liquid cream
In a saucepan, heat the cream up to 80°C/176°F.
Put the chocolate in a mixing bowl, and pour the hot cream in it. Let the chocolate melt for 5 min (do not mix). Add the gelatin.
Use a spatula or a whip and do circle motion in the center of the bowl until the mixture turns into an homogenous cream. The goal ain’t to add air, but to emulsify a creamy ganache.
Add the cold liquid cream and keep stirring the mixture.
Pour the praline and stir until having a homogenous ganache.
Keep the ganache in your fridge (cover it with a plastic film in contact)
The ganache will thicken up. Whip it for 2 min, the ganache should be airy and creamy.
Pour it in a piping bag and keep it in the fridge until use.
Presentation :
Spread a millimeter coat of praliné at the bottom of the pie
Cover the praliné with the chocolate ganache using a ladle. Let the ganache harden before piping your whipped ganache.
Use your piping bag to add circle of praliné ganache.
Cover the ganache with caramelized nuts used for the praliné.
Add praliné on top of the tart with a spoon or a piping bag.
Now that you know how to make this chocolate tart, please tag me on Instagram to show me your creation (@theparisbest_baking). I would be so glad to give you my feedback and share it with the community !
See you soon on The Paris-Best
Lea from The Paris-Best