RECIPE: Chocolate cremeux tart

The silky smooth chocolate filling is decadent but so much lighter than ganache – it makes all my chocolate dreams come true.

Serves 4 

Ingredients

3 eggs
¼ cup caster sugar
¾ cup cream
¾ cup milk
300 g (10½ oz) dark chocolate
whipped cream, mascarpone or fresh raspberries, to serve

Chocolate pastry

1½ cups flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
½ cup caster sugar
80 g (2¾ oz) cold butter
1 egg

1. To make the Chocolate Pastry, pulse all ingredients in a food processor until well combined. Knead into a ball, wrap and pop in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) fan bake.

3. Line a 26-28 cm (10½ in-11¼ in) round tart shell with pastry, top with baking paper and baking beans and blind bake for 15 minutes or until firm. 4. Remove baking paper and baking beans and pop back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes until crisp and lightly golden. Allow to cool.

4. To make the filling, whisk eggs with sugar until pale.

5. Gently heat cream and milk in a pot on medium heat until simmering.

6. Pour hot cream mixture into egg mixture, whisking while you pour.

7. Return mixture to pot and cook on low-medium heat for about 5 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon.

8. Break chocolate into a deep mixing bowl. Pour in hot cream mixture and whizz with a stick blender until smooth and well mixed.

9. Pour filling into tart shell and leave to set in the fridge for at least 3 hours or until firm in the center. If leaving to set overnight, allow to soften slightly at room temperature for an hour before serving.

10. Serve with whipped cream, mascarpone or raspberries.

Images and text extracted from Together: Food for Sharing by Cherie Metcalfe, published by Allen & Unwin NZ, RRP $45

Photography: Melanie Jenkins