Recipe: Marbleized Chocolate Velvet Tart with Miniature Chocolate Curls

MARBLEIZED CHOCOLATE VELVET TART
"With a surface that resembles the elegant Italian marbled papers of Florence, and a velvety-soft texture that melts into a warm pool of chocolate in your mouth, this tart is the one I serve most often to chocolate-loving friends. The best part is that it is so utterly simple and foolproof to prepare - just heavy cream combined with melted chocolate and a bit of egg to set the mixture - yet it looks (and tastes) sublime. Splurge on the finest chocolate possible, for its flavor is the very heart of this dessert."



1 recipe Chocolate Shortcrust Dough (see recipe) to fill a 9- or 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, fully baked and cooled
1/2 ounce white chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 ounce milk chocolate, finely chopped

FOR THE FILLING:
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) heavy (whipping) cream
1 large egg (pasteurized)
1 large egg yolk (pasteurized)

FOR SERVING:
Softly whipped cream
Miniature chocolate curls (instructions follow)

Preheat the oven to 360 degrees F. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven.

TO MELT THE CHOCOLATES (to be used for marbleizing the surface of the tart):
Fill a saute pan with 1- to 2-inches of water. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat (you want the water hot but not boiling). Place the white chocolate in a small stainless-steel bowl and set the bowl into the hot water. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is melted and smooth (don't walk away--this will happen very quickly). Remove the bowl from the water and wipe the bottom dry.

Place an unpleated plastic sandwich bag in a cup and fold the top of the bag over the rim of the cup to hold the bag in place. Use the spatula to scrape the melted chocolate into the bag, then use your hand to squeeze the chocolate into one corner of the bag. Set it on a plate in a warm place where the chocolate will stay melted. Repeat this procedure in a clean, dry bowl with the milk chocolate and place it next to the white chocolate while you finish the filling. (I like to set the bags directly on the griddle portion of my stove, where the heat of the oven underneath keeps the chocolate warm and liquid, but you could also reheat the water in the saute pan, remove it from the heat, then set both bags of chocolate into a dean bowl in the water.)

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Place the bittersweet chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the cream into a small saucepan and place over medium heat. When the cream begins to boil, immediately pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 2 minutes, then gently whisk until the mixture is smooth and blended. Add the egg and the egg yolk, mix well, then pour the mixture through a strainer into the baked and cooled tart shell.

TO MARBLEIZE THE TOP:
Use a pair of scissors to snip off and discard the very tip of the corner holding the white chocolate, making a small hole in the bag. Pipe the white chocolate over the entire surface of the tart in any pattern you like as shown. Repeat with the milk chocolate. Drag the tip of a small, sharp knife in small circles through the mixture to create a marbled effect as shown - do not overmix the chocolates, or you will lose the marbled pattern.

TO BAKE:
Place the tart in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or just until the filling is set. If the tart is gently shaken, the filling will be firm for about an inch around the edges, and the center portion will move as one piece. Bubbles on the surface indicate it is getting over-baked - you do not want the filling to boil. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool completely.

To unmold:
When cool, center the tart pan on top of a large can (I use a large can of tomatoes) so that it balances midair as the rim of the tart pan falls to the counter. Leave the bottom of the pan under the tart for support, or slide the tart onto a serving plate by running a large spatula between the crust and the pan, using it to guide the tart onto the plate.

SERVING AND STORAGE NOTES:
Serve the tart at room temperature with a spoonful of softly whipped cream. I like to sprinkle each serving plate with miniature chocolate curls. This tart is at its best the same day you bake it but will keep refrigerated for 4 days. If you are serving the tart the same day you bake it, leave it at room temperature. For longer storage, refrigerate the tart until cold, then gently wrap it with plastic wrap (at serving time, remove the wrap before bringing the tart to room temperature--this will ensure the surface stays smooth and shiny). Allow 1 hour for the tart to come to room temperature before serving. Cut the tart with a thin, sharp knife that has been warmed under a stream of hot water and wiped dry.

HOW TO MAKE MINIATURE CHOCOLATE CURLS

These quick, easy-to-make curls are a fun garnish for almost any chocolate dessert.

The only equipment you will need is a sharp vegetable peeler (a dull peeler results in too-thick curls with rough edges that tend to break in the center).

Use a high-quality chocolate bar (such as Lindt or Tobler) or a hand-sized block of bulk chocolate (such as Callebaut, Scharffen Berger, or Valhrona) at warm room temperature. Hold the chocolate in a paper towel (to keep your body heat from melting the chocolate) over a plate to catch the curls, then run the vegetable peeler along the edge of the chocolate as shown. If the curls are very tiny or resemble shavings instead of curls, the chocolate is too cool. Warm it very slightly by placing it on a plate in a gas oven with the heat turned off-the pilot light is warm enough. Check the chocolate every few minutes by running the peeler along the edge until you get the curls you want.

The curls can be stored in an airtight container at cool room temperature until needed (if it is very warm, keep them in the refrigerator). Because of their small size, the curls will melt quickly if you touch them, so be sure to use small spoon (a tiny demitasse spoon is perfect) rather than your fingers when sprinkling them over a plate or dessert.

Makes 10-12 servings
Source: Desserts by Cindy Mushet