Happy 7th birthday to Riegl Palate! In keeping with tradition, I’m sharing a recipe for a chocolate cake (in this case it’s actually a tart) with you to celebrate. In seven years, I’ve never missed a weekly post and it’s hard to believe that today’s post is number 404.

I continue to be amazed by the connections that I have made by writing a food blog. It’s provided opportunities that I never would have dreamed of. The highlight of the last year was seeing a cookbook I’d worked for 18 months published. Radnor Hunt’s The Fox’s Kitchen was such a success thanks to an amazing team of talented people who worked on it. We sold 2,000 copies in three months and did a second printing of 1,500 more.

I first made this double chocolate tart for my parents and family friends, Pat and Jake D. I expected to have leftovers as we were only a party of six but it was so well received that everyone wanted seconds. That’s a pretty good endorsement.

The recipe looks more complicated than it actually is. Just be sure to read it over as it takes some non-active time for the dough to chill and the crust to cool. I made the tart in a 13×4-inch fluted rectangular tart pan but you can also use a 9-inch round tart pan. The key is ensuring that either pan has a removable bottom.

Here are some tips for achieving a good ganache:  Did you know for the glossiest ganache, you want to use a semisweet or bittersweet bar (never chips) with 50% to 60% cacao? The more cacao the more grainy texture. It’s also recommended that you stir with a spatula as a whisk can mix in too much air, causing bubbles to form at the tart’s surface as it bakes and cools.

While I used gluten-free flour (Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour is my go-to), you can use the same amount of regular all purpose flour in this recipe.

A huge thank you to all who read, comment on, share and make recipes from Riegl Palate – it means so much to me.

Cheers to the art of good eating and to many more years of Riegl Palate!

P.S.  If you aren’t already following Riegl Palate on social media please consider doing so. Check out Riegl Palate on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

Chocolate Ganache Tart (Gluten-Free)

 

Chocolate Ganache Tart (Gluten-Free)
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Recipe type: Dessert
Author:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
For Crust:
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1-1/4 cups gluten-free or all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
For Filling:
  • 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 50-60% cacao), chopped
  • 1 teaspoon orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
For Topping:
  • Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
  • 1 tablespoon dark-roasted espresso or coffee beans, finely chopped
Instructions
Preparing the Crust:
  1. In bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping down the bowl as needed with a spatula. Beat in egg yolks, scraping down side of bowl as needed to incorporate.
  2. In a separate medium bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder and salt. Beat flour mixture into egg mixture on low speed in three batches, stopping as soon as it's incorporated.
  3. Form dough into a ball with your hands, then flatten it slightly into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until slightly more firm, 30 minutes or up to 1 day (if dough is very firm when you remove it, let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes).
  4. Remove the dough and reserve a golf ball-size piece. Place remainder in center of a 13x4-inch fluted rectangular tart pan or 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough across the bottom and up the sides of the pan to form a very thin (1⁄8-inch) layer, making sure dough is not too thick in the corners. Prick the bottom of the dough about every 2 inches with the tines of a fork. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
  5. Preheat to 375° and adjust rack to the top third of the oven. Bake about 8 minutes; check to see if dough has puffed up, and if so press it back down using a spatula or by poking with a fork (if holes form, you can patch them later with the reserved dough). Bake until set, about 15 minutes more. Remove from oven.
  6. While the crust is still hot, gently patch any holes with pieces of the reserved raw dough (the residual heat will fuse them together). Let cool completely in the tart pan. Crust can be made up to 1 day ahead. Once cooled, wrap in plastic wrap.
Preparing the Filling:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk egg and egg yolk.
  3. In a medium pot over medium heat, bring 1-inch of water to a simmer. Set a medium heatproof bowl inside the pot (be sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water). Add cream and chocolate to bowl and cook, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula, just until the chocolate is melted and glossy. Quickly remove the bowl and set aside.
  4. To temper the egg so it does not scramble in the chocolate, whisk 1 tablespoon of chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Repeat. Then, using a rubber spatula, fold egg mixture into chocolate mixture until combined. Stir in the orange liqueur, vanilla and salt.
  5. Set prepared tart shell on a baking sheet. Quickly pour chocolate filling into the prepared tart shell, tilting tart pan as needed to help evenly distribute and fill the corners. Bake until filling is just set but slightly jiggly in the center when the pan is shaken, 20 to 25 minutes
  6. Remove and let cool 5 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle tart generously with flaky sea salt and lightly with chopped espresso beans.
  8. Transfer tart pan to a cooling rack. Let cool completely.
  9. Carefully remove the fluted rim before slicing to serve.
  10. Tart can be made one day ahead. Once fully cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
* For gluten-free flour I use Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour.
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Source:  Variation on recipe from Saveur, December 5, 2016