This tart is made with a sweet chocolate pastry, a chocolate cream and a chocolate ganache. So, for those of you who don’t like chocolate, don’t bother.
For the rest of you, we owe this sublime recipe to Jeffrey Cagnes, a talented and creative French pastry chef, renowned for his innovative approach and respect for tradition.
After a solid career with such pastry greats as Pierre Hermé and Yann Couvreur, he made his mark as executive pastry chef at Stohrer, the oldest pastry shop in Paris, where he modernized the offering while preserving the house’s heritage.
In 2022, he took the next step by opening his own pastry shop in Paris, bearing his name, where he offers original, tasty creations, testifying to his passion for quality products and his unique savoir-faire. His work has won critical acclaim, and he is considered a rising figure in contemporary French patisserie.
My version differs slightly from the original, as I’ve chosen to make individual tarts, perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Prep Time: 1 h
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Rest Time: 4 h
Difficulty: easy
For: 9.4 inch (24 cm) pastry ring
Ingredients
For the ganache
- 4.76 oz heavy cream (135 g)
- 1.3 oz dark chocolate (122 g)
- 0.6 oz glucose syrup (or honey) (17 g)
- 0.6 oz honey (17 g)
- 7.75 oz chilled heavy cream (220 g)
For the cocoa dough
- 5.64 oz soft butter (160 g)
- 2.47 oz powdered sugar (70 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 0.88 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (25 g)
- 3.17 oz almond powder (90 g)
- 0.88 oz egg (beat one egg and remove 0.44 oz / 25 g)
- 4.93 oz flour (140 g)
For the chocolate cream
- 1 large egg
- 1.23 oz sugar (35 g)
- 4.4 oz milk (125 g)
- 2.3 oz full-fat cream (65 g)
- 1.7 oz dark chocolate (50 g)
To decorate
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa or chocolate powder
Instructions
For the ganache:
- 4.76 oz heavy cream (135 g)
- 1.3 oz dark chocolate (122 g)
- 0.6 oz glucose syrup (or honey) (17 g)
- 0.6 oz honey (17 g)
- 7.75 oz chilled heavy cream (220 g)
Pour 4.76 oz (135 g) cream into a small saucepan and add honey and glucose syrup. Heat through. Stop cooking as soon as it boils.
Immediately pour over the chopped chocolate and stir.
Add the 7.75 oz (220 g) cold cream and mix well.
Cover with clingfilm, leaving no air bubbles between the mixture and the clingfilm.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
For the cocoa dough :
- 5.64 oz soft butter (160 g)
- 2.47 oz powdered sugar (70 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 0.88 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (25 g)
- 3.17 oz almond powder (90 g)
- 0.88 oz egg (beat one egg and remove 0.44 oz / 25 g)
- 4.93 oz flour (140 g)
Place the soft butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of a food processor and blend at high speed for 1-2 minutes. Then add the salt, cocoa powder, almond powder and egg. Mix well.
Add flour and blend until smooth.
Line the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for one hour.
After this time, roll out the dough and line the tin. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
Preheat oven to 338°F (170°C).
Bake for 15 minutes.
For the chocolate cream :
- 1 large egg
- 1.23 oz sugar (35 g)
- 4.4 oz milk (125 g)
- 2.3 oz full-fat cream (65 g)
- 1.7 oz dark chocolate (50 g)
Reduce oven temperature to 285°F (140°C).
Mix the egg and sugar in a bowl.
Bring the milk and cream to the boil, then immediately pour over the egg/sugar mixture, while stirring.
Add the chocolate, leave to stand for 1 minute, then stir.
Pour over the tart shell and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until set.
To assemble the ganache: place the bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for a few minutes.
When the bowl is cold, pour in the ganache and whizz for several minutes. The ganache should be firm and fairly compact.
Poach the ganache onto the tartlets.
Sprinkle tarts with cocoa or chocolate powder.
