Chocolate Cherry Tart
Chocolate and red fruits, such as cherries, make a great combination especially if the chocolate has an acidic flavor profile. Made with our Bulk Broken Bars, perfect for home chefs & bakers alike.
by Richard Bertinet, posted by Bakepedia.com
Ingredients:
1 recipe Bertinet Sweet Pastry (chocolate variation)
12 fresh cherries with stems,
24 cherries preserved in alcohol or syrup, or 24 defrosted frozen cherries
6½ tablespoons kirsch, if using canned or frozen cherries
1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt, for sealing the pastry
For the chocolate filling:
¾ cup sugar
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
11¼ ounces Askinosie Chocolate (at least 70% cacao)
11/2cups butter
¾ cup all-purpose flour
Askinosie Natural Cocoa Powder, for dusting
Instructions:
Rest the pastry in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, preferably several, or, better still, overnight.
If using canned or defrosted cherries, drain them and put them into a bowl with the kirsch. Leave to soak overnight.
Lightly grease a removable-bottomed tart pan, 14 by 41/2inches and ¾ inch deep.
Dust your work surface with flour, roll out the pastry 3/16 inch thick, and line the pan. Line with parchment paper and ceramic baking weights. Place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the chocolate filling: In a mixing bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, and egg yolks until the mixture is pale and has a creamy, mousse-like consistency.
Break the chocolate into chunks and put into a heatproof bowl. Place this over a saucepan of simmering water—you need enough water to come close to the bottom of the bowl but not actually touch it. Turn the heat very low so that you don’t get steam into the bowl, as this can make the chocolate stiffen and look dull. Let the chocolate melt slowly, stirring all the time, then add the butter and keep stirring until it has melted. Take off the heat and add to the sugar and egg mixture, again stirring well until it is all incorporated. Gently fold in the flour and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Remove the pan from the refrigerator, place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Lift out the parchment and baking weights, brush the pastry with the beaten egg, then bake for another 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Lower the oven to 350°F.
Spread the filling over the cooled pastry up to the top, then push the cherries into it, leaving some of the fruit showing (if using fresh cherries, leave the stems sticking out). Put back on the baking sheet and return to the oven for 12 minutes, until just set. The filling will have risen a little, but, like a chocolate brownie, it should be only just firm to the touch, as it will set a bit more when it cools. Leave in the pan for about 15 minutes, then lift out and cool on a rack.
The tart can be served either warm and gooey, or completely cooled, when the chocolate will be a bit firmer. Dust with cocoa powder before serving.
