On the cover of Gourmet Traveller a few months ago was one of the most tempting chocolate tarts I have ever seen. Gorgeous rich shiny chocolate on top of a chocolate, hazelnut praline mousse and crispy chocolate pastry. How could I resist making this?
Even though I felt I should serve this with vanilla ice cream, I really wanted to serve it with baci gelato and the combination was fantastic! The tart was rich and relatively soft, with a crisp pastry. The chocolate ganche on top was beautiful and very reflective, the hazelnut praline gave the tart a lovely crunch and all layers worked fantastically together.
A loose bottomed tart tin would have been very helpful in getting out the tart slices, as I had a few problems with removing the first few. Each part of the tart was quite easy, you just need to organise your time a bit, to make sure it’s ready on time. We had some leftovers, as this is a very rich tart, and it tastes gorgeous on the days afterward, so if you didn’t have time to make it on the day I would consider making it the day before.
Triple Chocolate Praline Tart
Recipe from Gourmet Traveller (my hints in italics)
Serves: 16
160ml pouring cream
40ml milk
200g dark chocolate (61% cocoa solids), finely chopped
Chocolate pastry
200g plain flour
60g pure icing sugar, sifted
30g Dutch-process cocoa
100g cold butter, coarsely chopped
2 egg yolks
(I had to add 2 tablespoons of cold water at the end for it to form a dough)
Milk chocolate praline filling
150g hazelnuts, roasted and skins removed
175g raw caster sugar
300ml pouring cream
400g milk chocolate, finely chopped
For chocolate pastry, process flour, icing sugar and cocoa in a food processor until combined. Add butter, process until mixture resembles fine crumbs, then add egg yolks, process to combine. (If you need to add some cold water add it now and process, I needed to do this as it was very crumbly). Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and bring pastry together with the heel of your hand. Wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate for 1 hour to rest.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thick and line a 28cm-diameter loose-bottomed tart tin, trimming edges (I used a quiche dish as that’s all I had). Refrigerate for 1 hour, then blind bake for 8-10 minutes (place a piece of baking paper in the tart and add rice, beans or weights), remove paper and weights and bake until dry and crisp (8-10 minutes).
Meanwhile, for praline filling, spread hazelnuts on an oiled baking tray, set aside. Combine sugar and 60ml water in a small saucepan, stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, cook until dark caramel in colour (4-5 minutes), pour over nuts. Stand until cool and set (8-10 minutes), process in a food processor until finely ground, set aside.
Bring cream to the simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, add chocolate, stir until smooth, remove from heat, stir in two-thirds of praline mixture (reserve remaining to serve). Spoon into pastry case, smooth top, refrigerate until just set (1½-2 hours).
Combine cream and milk in a small saucepan, bring to the simmer over medium-high heat. Add dark chocolate, remove from heat, stir until smooth. Spread over tart, refrigerate until just set (45 minutes-1 hour). Cut into wedges with a hot knife and serve immediately scattered with reserved praline. (I would also suggest serving this with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or baci gelato).
Oh that looks divine! I can’t believe how smooth and shiny that top layer of chocolate is, I’m drooling.
That looks absolutely amazing! I had bookmarked that recipe to try too (until my copy of GT mysteriously went walkabout…) I can only imagine how tasty it would be too… *drool*
It looks lovely!! Good job!
Your tart looks wonderful! I remember this very recipe as well. You have done a great job!
I’ve been eying this recipe ever since I received my copy of GT. I will say it….Your tart looks way better than the one on the cover! It is at drool factor 11!!!!
oh wow, this looks awesome! the top looks so shiny and smooth, it looks like it’s ready for it’s cover shoot 😉
Ooh we really are on the same wavelength! That is on my “to bake” list! yours look marvellous and I love the absolutely smooth, sleek mirror topping:)
OMG This looks amazing. What a great combination. The top looks like the Aria tart from the Masterchef grandfinal.
I love the shiny finish on top – very professional! Hazelnut praline sounds like a lovely filling too.
Oh my goodness that is the smoothest top layer of chocolate ganache I have ever seen!!!!!!!!!! It reminds me of Matt Moran’s chocolate tart (from the Masterchef final challenge) but oh boy that slice with the scoop of ice cream looks so decadently delicious!
Ooh I remember that tart! You have done a gorgeous job!! Love the glossy sheen
Anita, you have done an amazing job. This looks so decadently rich and delicious. I immediately noticed that cover recipe, too. It is sitting in my pile for later in the year to make. I have strange ‘lists’ of recipes to make. I wish you could have sent some of the left overs up to me!!!
OMG how mouth watering does that tart look?! I can just imagine how decadent it must taste… YUM!
I am enjoying looking at your posts..and this tart is divine:) I read your home page.. I cannot even imagine what you will be like at my age:) I am 55 and you are light yrs ahead of me! Bravo!
anita. this is STELLAR! seriously, it’s completely perfect as far as my eyes are concerned, and i’m fairly positive my taste buds would be satisfied as well. really nicely done!
OMG Anita, m drooling here, thats dangerously sinful tart!
That’s in my never ending pile/list of recipes to make too! (But I need a special occasion for that one)
I actually recognised it from the cover before you even said it was from Gourmet Traveler – so you have obviously done a beautiful job!
Oh… this is just simply a torture post… I don’t know what to comment, you got me at “Triple Chocolate Praline Tart” 🙂
Chocolate X 3…just love it…I can almost taste it! Yummie…great pictures as well.
Oh wow……that’s an creamy and delectable tart……..
This looks amazing! I’ve never made a tart before and suddenly have to make one for a dinner party over the weekend; I thought this one sounded easier than one that completely needed baking – though I’m curious as to what actually holds together the praline to stop it oozing everywhere, given the fact there doesn’t seem to be any ingredients to set it, such as eggs… I’m guessing the hazelnuts have some form of structural element, so hopefully it, er, holds up for me. (Perhaps I should stop over thinking things!) 😉