Coffee and Chocolate Tart
Don't be put off by the lengthy directions. This tart is actually quite simple to execute and most of the time is inactive time. Start a day or two ahead and you'll have an impressive looking dessert with minimal kitchen labor. The prep time assumes that you leave the tart dough to rest for the minimal amount of time (about 2 hours), but ideally the tart dough should be made the day before baking for maximal flavor development. This recipe makes use of an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, although you could also make this in a 7-inch (18 cm) square tart ring, or 8 4-inch tartlets.
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
Pastry Dough
- ¾ stick plus 1 teaspoon (3-⅛ oz; 90 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon plus 1-¾ teaspoon (¾ oz; 20 grams) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup plus 1 teaspoon (1 ¼ oz; 35 grams) confectioner's sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (¾ oz; 20 grams) almond flour sifted
- 2 pinches salt
- 1 large (1 ¾ oz; 50 grams) egg
- 1-½ cup minus 1 teaspoon (5-⅛ oz; 145 grams) all-purpose flour sifted
Coffee Sauce
- 1 cup plus 2 ¾ teaspoons (250 mL) heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 ¾ teapsoon (1-¾ oz; 50 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon (½ oz; 13 grams) instant coffee or espresso powder
- ¼ cup (1-¾ oz; 50 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large (3-½ oz; 100 grams) eggs
- 2 large (1 ⅓ oz/38 grams) egg yolks
- 1 ½ tablespoon (½ oz; 15 grams) cornstarch
Dark Chocolate Ganache
- 5 ½ ounces (160 grams) premium couverturn dark chocolate in disks or evenly chopped
- ¾ cup plus 1-½ tablespoons (200 mL) heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (1-¼ oz; 35 grams) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 ½ teaspoons (1-¼ oz; 35 grams) granulated sugar
- chocolate-covered coffee beans or chocolate pieces to decorate
Instructions
Pastry Dough
- Ideally the day before baking the tart, or minimally 3 hours before, make the dough. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer), add the butter, granulated sugar, confectioner's sugar, almond flour, and salt to the bowl. Beat on low speed, until just well-blended.
- Add the egg and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Add the flour and mix until just incorporated. Wrap the prepared dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour, but ideally overnight.
- Once ready to bake the crust, preheat the oven to 325 F/160 C. Lightly butter or use non-stick spray to prepare a 8-inch (20 cm) diameter round tart pan with 1-inch high sides and a removable bottom. Wrap the base and sides of the tart pan with foil to protect against liquid leaking out.
- Lightly flour a clean work surface and roll the dough out into a round disc that is ⅛-inch (3 mm) thick. Fold the rolled-out dough into fourths so that the center of the disc forms the point of a triangle. Place the point in the center of the tart pan, then unfold the dough to cover the tart pan. [Alternatively, you could roll the dough disc loosely around a rolling pin, then center it over the pan and unroll it to drape it over pan.]
- Carefully, and without stretching the dough at all, adjust the dough so it fits into the pan. Press it gently against the sides (it should extend all the way to the top of the pan) and into the corners to help prevent shrinkage during baking. Trim any excess dough from the sides of the pan, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Cut out a 11 or 12-inch diameter circle of parchment paper, so that the parchment paper extends beyond the edges of the pan. Center the parchment paper over the top of the chilled dough in the pan and press it gently down. Pour ceramic weights (or uncooked beans) onto the parchment paper and spread them out evenly.
- Blind bake the crust for 20 minutes, then remove the tart from the oven and carefully bring the edges of the parchment paper up towards the center to lift it and the pie weights out of the pan. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool slightly.
- Leave the oven on, increasing the temperature to 350 F/ 180 C.
Coffee Sauce
- Begin when the crust is out of the oven after the blind bake phase. In a heavy-weight medium-sized saucepan, gently stir together the cream, butter, instant coffee/espresso, and sugar, then heat over medium/medium-high heat until just beginning to simmer. Turn off the heat.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks together. Add the cornstarch, and whisk to combine.
- Whisking constantly, slowly pour ⅓ of the heated cream mixture into the egg mixture to temper the eggs. Once incorporated, slowly pour in ½ of the remaining heated cream mixture while continuing to whisk constantly, taking care that your whisk reaches all corners and sides. Pour the egg+cream mixture back into the saucepan and whisk until combined.
- Pour the coffee sauce into the cooled blind baked crust. Gently rap the pan once on the counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Place the tart in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. The coffee sauce-filled tart is done when the filling is puffy and set on the edges, but the center still trembles a little when the pan is gently shaken. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool.
Dark Chocolate Ganache
- Place the chocolate disks or chopped chocolate into a large mixing bowl. In a heavy-weight saucepan, heat the cream, butter, and sugar together, stirring gently to combine. Once the cream mixture reaches a very gentle simmer, pour the cream over the chocolate. Let the cream+chocolate sit for 1-2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Pour the ganache over the cooling tart.
- Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Decorate by scattering a few chocolate-covered coffee beans or nice-looking pieces of chocolate along one diagonal. Serve.