DECADENT CHOCOLATE TART FROM FRENCH CHEF ALAIN DUCASSE
This simple yet elegant tart comes from Alain Ducasse, one of France’s premier chocolate authorities and the creator of several award-winning Michelin starred restaurants around the world. Known for his attention to the integrity of the terroir, Ducasse flows with the seasons and the sustainable practices of his suppliers when designing his menus.
Although the tart takes a few hours to make, it’s mostly made up of inactive time while the tart chills, meaning it is a gentle cooking experience.
Everyone who I’ve served this to has gone head over heels for it. I suggest plating it with a dollop of homemade whipped cream or a classic ice cream flavor to help cut through the richness of the chocolate. Some fresh fruits like raspberries or peaches on the side will knock this out of the park.
Enjoy!!
Ingredients
For the Tart Shell:
1 cup all-purpose flour (120 grams)
1 stick softened butter (1/2 cup or 113 grams)
1/2 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar (50 grams)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (22 grams)
3 tablespoons almond flour (18 grams)
1/2 teaspoon salt (pinch)
1 large egg
For the Filling:
3/4 cup heavy cream (180 mL)
1/2 cup whole milk (120 mL)
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped (340 grams)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
For the Glaze:
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (or Agar Agar or corn starch if you want to make it vegetarian) (~4 grams)
2 tablespoons whole milk (30 mL)
1/3 cup heavy cream (80 mL)
1/4 cup sugar (55 grams)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (22 grams)
2 ounces milk chopped chocolate (56 grams)
Tools:
Medium Sauce Pot
Small Sauce Pot
Medium Mixing Bowl
10” Tart Pan (best if it has a removable bottom) (~25 cm)
Rolling Pin
Plastic Wrap
Mixing Spoons
Whisk
Offset Spatula*
*Ideal, not essential
Instructions:
To Make the Tart Shell:
Blend the flour with the butter, sugar, cocoa, almond flour and salt, either briskly by hand or in a stand mixer at medium speed. Add the egg and mix until a soft dough just begins to form. Transfer the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and lay another large sheet of plastic wrap on top. Roll out the dough to a 12-inch round between the plastic. Gently remove the top layer of plastic wrap and invert the dough into a 10” (~25 cm) tart pan (ideally a fluted tart pan with a removable base plate). Peel away the top layer of plastic wrap and gently fit the dough into the pan. Trim the edges so they are flush with the rim of the tart pan. Freeze about 10 minute (until firm). While it freezes, place your oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 325°F (165°C).
Once frozen and oven is at temperature, line the dough in the pan with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, bulgur, or rice. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. (It won’t be 100% cooked yet.) Remove the parchment and weights then finish baking until the shell is cooked through, (~ 20 minutes more). Once finished, transfer it to a rack to cool and lower the oven temperature to 250°F (120°C).
To Make the Base Filling:
Combine the heavy cream with the milk in a medium saucepan and bring them to a boil. Quickly, remove them from the heat, add the chocolate, and let sit for about 5 minutes until the chocolate has melted. Whisk until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with the egg yolk, then whisk 1/2 cup of the chocolate cream mixture in (to gently temper the eggs). Once smooth whisk this the egg/chocolate mixture back into the pot of chocolate cream. Pour the filling into the tart shell. Jiggle the pan a little to help smooth the top out and then bake at 250°F (120°C) until the chocolate mix is lightly set around the edges but still a tad jiggly in the center, (about 30 - 50 minutes). Cool on a rack, then refrigerate until well-chilled, (about 2 hours).
To Make the Glaze for the Top:
In a cup or small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin/agar agar/or cornstarch over two tablespoons of whole milk and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk the cream, sugar and cocoa in a small sauce-pot over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved, (~ 2 minutes). Remove it from the heat. Add the gelatin/agar agar/or cornstarch milk into the cocoa mixture, making sure to add it all. Add the milk chocolate then whisk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the chilled tart and spread it as evenly as possible. (Using an offset spatula works well.) Cover with a cake or pie dome and refrigerate the tart until the glaze is set (~ 30 - 45 minutes).
This pie is definitely a rich one. So serving it with a dollop of homemade whipped cream or ice cream helps cut through the richness and adds dimension to the flavors. (Luckily chocolate pairs well with almost everything, so you have a lot of freedom to go in any direction you want. I like to serve it with homemade caramel ice cream or lightly flavored whipped creams.
Enjoy!!
This Chocolate Tart is Good for about a Week, but Best within the First Few Days.
Notes:
+ The dough for this is pretty wet and clingy. I’ve had success with the plastic sheet method, but it’s also a bit of a pain. If you’re having trouble getting the tart dough to sit nicely in the pan, consider forgoing the plastic wrap and just patting it into the pan with a flat object (like a tart dough tamper) instead. It might look a bit cleaner in the end actually.
+ Make sure you have space in your freezer for the first part of the recipe (when you’ll have to freeze the dough) and the same for your refrigerator, which you will need to keep chill.
+ Since chocolate likes to absorb whatever odors are around it, I would suggest cleaning out your fridge before chilling this tart. For any persistent odors, putting a ramekin of baking soda in the fridge will help to pull the bad smells away from the tart.
Pairing Suggestions for Chocolate Tart:
{ Sweet } Most Fruits (just look at what’s in season/available), Homemade Whipped Cream, Vanilla, Caramel, Florals (Rose, Orange Blossom, Jasmine),
{ Middle } Nuts (Hazelnuts, Almonds, Toasted Pecans), Coffee/Espresso, Red Wines, Peanut Butter (but tread lightly… this tart is already pretty rich!)
{ Savory } Roasted Meats (Duck, Lamb, Pork), Spicy Flavorful Dishes (Curries, Mexican, Thai), Salted Pretzels & Potato Chips,
Chocolate Tart from Alain Ducasse
Laura | May 2020
Prep time: 30 minutes
Resting time: 2 hours & 40 minutes
Baking time: ~ 1 hour & 45 minutes
Total time: ~ 5 hours
Level of Skill: Easy
Ingredients:
For the Tart Shell:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 grams)
- 1 stick softened butter (1/2 cup or 113 grams)
- 1/2 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar (50 grams)
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (22 grams)
- 3 tablespoons almond flour (18 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (pinch)
- 1 large egg
For the Filling:
- 3/4 cup heavy cream (180 mL)
- 1/2 cup whole milk (120 mL)
- 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped (340 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
For the Glaze:
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (or Agar Agar or corn starch if you want to make it vegetarian) (~4 grams)
- 2 tablespoons whole milk (30 mL)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream (80 mL)
- 1/4 cup sugar (55 grams)
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (22 grams)
- 2 ounces milk chopped chocolate (56 grams)
Equipment:
- Medium Sauce Pot
- Small Sauce Pot
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- 10” Tart Pan (best if it has a removable bottom) (~25 cm)
- Rolling Pin*
- Plastic Wrap*
- Mixing Spoons
- Whisk
- Offset Spatula*
*Ideal, not essential
Instructions:
To Make the Tart Shell:
Blend the flour with the butter, sugar, cocoa, almond flour and salt, either briskly by hand or in a stand mixer at medium speed. Add the egg and mix until a soft dough just begins to form. Transfer the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and lay another large sheet of plastic wrap on top. Roll out the dough to a 12-inch round between the plastic. Gently remove the top layer of plastic wrap and invert the dough into a 10” (~25 cm) tart pan (ideally a fluted tart pan with a removable base plate). Peel away the top layer of plastic wrap and gently fit the dough into the pan. Trim the edges so they are flush with the rim of the tart pan. Freeze about 10 minute (until firm). While it freezes, place your oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 325°F (165°C).
Once frozen and oven is at temperature, line the dough in the pan with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, bulgur, or rice. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. (It won’t be 100% cooked yet.) Remove the parchment and weights then finish baking until the shell is cooked through, (~ 20 minutes more). Once finished, transfer it to a rack to cool and lower the oven temperature to 250°F (120°C).
To Make the Base Filling:
- Combine the heavy cream with the milk in a medium saucepan and bring them to a boil. Quickly, remove them from the heat, add the chocolate, and let sit for about 5 minutes until the chocolate has melted. Whisk until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with the egg yolk, then whisk 1/2 cup of the chocolate cream mixture in (to gently temper the eggs). Once smooth whisk this the egg/chocolate mixture back into the pot of chocolate cream. Pour the filling into the tart shell. Jiggle the pan a little to help smooth the top out and then bake at 250°F (120°C) until the chocolate mix is lightly set around the edges but still a tad jiggly in the center, (about 30 - 50 minutes). Cool on a rack, then refrigerate until well-chilled, (about 2 hours).
To Make the Glaze for the Top:
- In a cup or small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin/agar agar/or cornstarch over two tablespoons of whole milk and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk the cream, sugar and cocoa in a small sauce-pot over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved, (~ 2 minutes). Remove it from the heat. Add the gelatin/agar agar/or cornstarch milk into the cocoa mixture, making sure to add it all. Add the milk chocolate then whisk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the chilled tart and spread it as evenly as possible. (Using an offset spatula works well.) Cover with a cake or pie dome and refrigerate the tart until the glaze is set (~ 30 - 45 minutes).
{ This pie is definitely a rich one. So serving it with a dollop of homemade whipped cream or ice cream helps cut through the richness and adds dimension to the flavors. (Luckily chocolate pairs well with almost everything, so you have a lot of freedom to go in any direction you want. I like to serve it with homemade caramel ice cream or lightly flavored whipped creams. }
Nutrition:
(per slice if cut into 16 pieces)
Servings: One 10" Tart
Fat: 20 grams
Calories: 300
Nutrition estimated by Happyforks.com