To the growing cadre of books about chocolate, add Tish Boyle and Tim Moriarty's Chocolate Passion. For it, the authors, both editors at Chocolatier and Pastry Arts and Design magazines, have collected more than 50 recipes celebrating chocolate--the world's favorite flavor, as they dub it. These include formulas for cakes, cookies, mousses, tarts, and candies.
Silky milk chocolate mousse sits regally beneath a bruléed crown and over a super-crunchy hazelnut crust. Served with vanilla bean ice cream, this is a simple chocolate tart with a sophisticated veneer that adults and kids can enjoy together.
Yield: 8 servings
Preparation: 50 minutes, plus chilling, baking, and cooling times
Special equipment: One 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; household propane torch
Butter the bottom and sides of an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Place the cooled hazelnuts into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade. Add 2 tablespoons of the flour and pulse until the hazelnuts are finely ground.
Place the ground hazelnuts, remaining flour, and salt into a large bowl and combine using a whisk. Make a well in the center and add the confectioners' sugar, brown sugar, and egg yolks. Using your fingers or a wooden spoon, combine the sugars and the yolks, mixing in the well until the sugars begin to dissolve. Add the softened butter and begin to incorporate the flour. Combine it well by picking up handfuls and rubbing the mixture between the palms of your hands. When it is well combined, form it into a ball and knead the dough two or three times on a lightly floured surface. Flatten the dough into a disc and
wrap it securely in a piece of waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Lightly flour the top and bottom of the dough and roll out between 2 sheets of parchment paper into a circle approximately 14 inches in diameter. Turn the dough out into the prepared tart shell and press gently to line sides. Trim the excess dough from the top edge using a sharp knife. Freeze the tart shell for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place a baking sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven. Line the inside of the tart shell with a piece of aluminum foil. Place 3 cups of dried beans or rice on top of the foil and place the tart shell on the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the tart shell from the oven. Cool on a rack, leaving the beans inside. When completely cool, remove the foil and beans. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
MAKE THE MILK CHOCOLATE FILLING
Place the milk into a medium saucepan. Heat until scalding and pour the hot milk over the chopped milk and bittersweet chocolates. Let sit for 30 seconds and then whisk gently. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, and sugar until blended. Gradually whisk in the chocolate mixture. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the filling into the cooled pie shell. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until set. Remove the tart from the oven and cool on a rack. When cool, place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Just before serving, sprinkle the sugar evenly over the top of the tart. Smooth it into an even layer right up to the sides of the tart. Using a propane torch, the hold the flame approximately 5 inches from the top of the tart and caramelize the sugar, turning it a golden brown. To prevent the crust from burning, hold a knife or metal spatula against the crust to prevent the flame from coming in contact with it. Cut the tart into 8 portions and serve with vanilla bean ice cream.
