This may just be one of the best and lightest chocolate desserts ever made. It was developed by one of the most talented pastry chefs I know, Nora Tong. It is also very easy to make, as long as you follow the directions precisely.
About the crust
No need to pull out your rolling pin for this crust. It is simply made by pressing into the tart pan with your fingers. One of the benefits of this melted butter crust is that you don’t need to blind bake it, which means it won’t shrink when baked without being filled. Melted butter in the crust makes it very tender, but because the pieces of butter are not coated with flour, it will not be as flaky. You will never miss it. The tender crust filled with the creamy chocolate are swoon worthy.
I hope the photos help you envision the steps in making this tart. I prefer not to cover it with whipped cream, because it is already rich enough. To make the chocolate flakes, I take a piece of semi-sweet chocolate and shave it with a carrot peeler directly over the top.
Now step back and await the praise from your delighted guests..
Although I ordinarily melt chocolate in the microwave, it is best to melt it in boiling water until it feels very hot. Just be sure you don’t get a drop of water into the chocolate.
This is my trying to take a photo of the folding of cream and chocolate. The cream should be very thick and you will faintly see a path of the beaters. It should be puffy. Fold the hot chocolate into one third of the cream. Then fold in the remainder.
Spread chocolate filling into crust and smooth the top. Leave plain or decorate as desired.
CHOCOLATE CHANTILLY TART
Press In Pastry
2 cups (260 g..) all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 oz. unsalted butter, melted
Chocolate Chantilly Filling
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate (50 to 55%)
2 cups (16 oz.) very softly whipped cream
1. To make pastry: In bowl with electric mixer, mix flour, sugar and salt to combine. Add melted butter and vanilla and mix until combined. If too soft to work with, refrigerate until it firms up. It can be refrigerated for several days and brought to room temperature until easy to work with.
2. To bake: Preheat oven to 350°. Press pastry into the bottom and up the sides of an 11-inch tart pan. You will not use it all. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. If it puffs up as it bakes, press down gently with a metal measuring cup. Cool completely before filling.
3.To make filling: Melt chocolate in a medium size metal bowl set in a skillet of boiling water. It must be very hot.
4.In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, whip the cream until it is puffy. It should be so soft that you barely see the whisk lines when you mix it. Quickly whisk about 1/3 of the cream into the hot chocolate. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the rest of the very soft cream until no streaks of cream remain. Do not overmix or it will become grainy. Spread into tart shell. Refrigerate until serving..
To make ahead: Tart may be refrigerated overnight.. It also freezes beautifully for up to 1 month.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Variation: To make Chocolate Raspberry Chantilly Tart, spread baked pastry with 3 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves. Buy 2 pints raspberries and arrange 3/4 over preserves. Spread Chocolate Chantilly over berries to cover. Top with a ring of berries.
Recipe by Nora Tong
