The Ernst Knam’s chocolate tart is a dessert reserved for chocolate lovers, where in this recipe it is the absolute protagonist. The cocoa shortcrust pastry encloses a soft heart made with custard and chocolate ganache; every bite is an explosion of flavor where the contrast between the flakiness of the pastry and the silkiness of the dark chocolate cream creates a perfect balance.
The recipe is simple, does not require particular technical skills, and is made in a short time; if you can, you can easily prepare the bases in advance and store them in the fridge. After baking, you should let it rest for a few hours to achieve a perfect slice.
The chocolate tart by Knam has become one of my top ten, it is a delicious dessert that never gets old; the first time I made it I thought it was too “chocolatey” as the master would define it, but it’s perfect. I usually serve it with a spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream, an extra touch that makes it special.
Here are some other chocolate-based recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 4 Hours
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 8People
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 405.00 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 44.57 (g) of which sugars 22.25 (g)
- Proteins 6.39 (g)
- Fat 23.67 (g) of which saturated 11.88 (g)of which unsaturated 7.03 (g)
- Fibers 3.04 (g)
- Sodium 77.11 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 5.3 oz butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg (medium whole, about 50 g)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Half vanilla bean
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 egg yolks egg yolks (about 1.4 oz)
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp potato starch
- Half vanilla bean
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 6.7 oz 70% dark chocolate (I use 60%)
Tools
- 3 Bowls
- 1 Worktop
- 1 Tart pan 9-inch diameter
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Scale
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Baking dish
Procedure
Cut the butter into cubes and leave it at room temperature for 15/20 minutes.
Place the butter and sugar in a bowl, mixing the mixture with a whisk until well combined. Add the egg, salt, and vanilla, incorporating well.
Sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and cocoa), pour them into the bowl, and quickly knead with your hands until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 4 hours.
Don’t worry if the dough feels a bit softer than classic shortcrust pastry, it will be perfect after resting in the fridge.Mix the egg yolks with sugar and vanilla with a whisk, when they are well combined, add the sifted flour with potato starch and incorporate.
Gradually add the hot milk while mixing well, pour the mixture into the saucepan and let it thicken over low heat, stirring continuously.
Transfer the cream to a baking dish, cover with cling film in contact, and let it cool in the refrigerator.
Chop the dark chocolate.
Place the cream in a saucepan and heat it until it almost boils, add the chopped chocolate, let it rest for 30 seconds, and mix with the whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Cover with plastic wrap in contact and let cool.
Once the two creams are cold, mix them with a whisk.
Briefly work the pastry to make it pliable, then roll it out on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch.
Line the slightly buttered tart pan with the dough, making it adhere perfectly. Prick the bottom with a fork and fill with the chocolate cream.
Decorate the surface with strips of pastry 3/4 inch wide
Bake the tart in a preheated static oven at 350°F for about 40 minutes, adjusting according to the power of your oven.
My oven bakes very well and evenly but the lower element is not very powerful so I always place the tarts at the bottom.
Ernst Knam’s chocolate tart is ready, let it cool very well before serving.
Advice
Ernst Knam’s chocolate tart keeps in the fridge, well covered, for 4 days.
************************
For advice on making the recipes, contact me on FACEBOOK and, if you like, follow me on INSTAGRAM
Send me your photos, I will be happy to publish them on my social media
