Chocolate and Raspberry Tart

31

This elegant Chocolate and Raspberry Tart combines the richness of a smooth dark chocolate ganache with the tangy freshness of raspberries, all in a delicate cocoa shortcrust pastry. A sophisticated dessert that will impress your guests with its exquisite taste and presentation worthy of a professional patisserie. Perfect for special occasions or simply as a treat, this tart is as beautiful to look at as it is delicious to eat.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The perfect contrast between intense chocolate and the acidity of fresh raspberries
• A crispy cocoa shortcrust pastry that melts in your mouth
• An elegant dessert that seems complex but remains accessible to amateur bakers
• Can be prepared in advance for stress-free serving
• The ideal balance between richness and lightness

Ingredients

For the Cocoa Shortcrust Pastry

• Wheat flour – Forms the structural base of the pastry with its perfectly measured gluten content
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – Brings intense chocolate flavor and deep color to the pastry
• Powdered sugar – Offers a delicate sweetness and finer texture than granulated sugar
• Salt – Enhances the chocolate flavors and balances the sweetness
• Cold butter – Creates layers that make the pastry both crumbly and melt-in-the-mouth
• Egg yolk – Adds richness and helps bind the ingredients without overdeveloping the gluten
• Ice water – Hydrates the pastry just enough to make it malleable

For the Chocolate Ganache

• Dark chocolate – Provides a deep and complex flavor that is at the heart of this tart
• Heavy cream – Creates the characteristic smoothness of the ganache
• Butter – Adds shine and silky texture to the ganache
• Sugar – Balances the bitterness of dark chocolate for perfect sweetness
• Vanilla extract – Enhances and complements the aromatic notes of the chocolate

For the Topping

• Fresh raspberries – Bring freshness, acidity, and a beautiful contrasting color
• Powdered sugar – Adds a touch of sweetness and a delicate visual effect when dusted
• Mint leaves (optional) – Offer a note of aromatic freshness and a decorative touch
• Chocolate shavings (optional) – Reinforce the chocolate theme and add texture and elegance

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preparing the Cocoa Shortcrust Pastry

Start by preparing the shortcrust pastry that will serve as the base for your tart. In a large bowl, mix the sifted flour with the unsweetened cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt. This sifting step is essential to eliminate lumps and ensure a perfectly smooth texture. Add the cold butter cut into small cubes and work quickly with your fingertips until you obtain a sandy texture resembling coarse breadcrumbs. The secret to successful shortcrust pastry is to handle the mixture as little as possible and keep the butter cold, which ensures a crumbly rather than tough pastry. Then incorporate the egg yolk and gradually add just enough ice water for the pastry to form a homogeneous ball without being sticky. Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour, ideally two. This resting time is crucial as it allows the gluten to relax and the fats to solidify, which facilitates later rolling and improves the final texture.

Baking the Tart Shell

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature for 5-10 minutes, just long enough for it to become malleable without becoming too soft. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry into a circle about 1/8 inch (3-4 mm) thick. To facilitate transfer, gently roll the pastry around your rolling pin then unroll it over your 9-10 inch (23-25 cm) tart pan with removable bottom. Gently press the pastry against the sides of the pan and remove the excess by running a rolling pin over the top. To prevent the pastry from puffing during baking, prick the bottom with a fork in several places and cover with parchment paper weighted down with dried beans or baking weights. This technique, called “blind baking,” ensures a perfectly flat tart base. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and weights and continue baking for another 5-7 minutes until the pastry is cooked but not too colored. The pastry should be dry to the touch and slightly golden at the edges. Let it cool completely in the pan on a rack before proceeding.

Preparing the Chocolate Ganache

While the tart shell is cooling, prepare the ganache that will form the velvety bed for your raspberries. Finely chop the dark chocolate and place it in a heat-resistant bowl. This often-neglected step is actually crucial: the finer the chocolate is chopped, the more easily and evenly it will melt. In a thick-bottomed saucepan, heat the heavy cream with the sugar until simmering, stirring constantly to prevent it from sticking or boiling over. At the first signs of boiling, remove from heat and immediately pour over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute to allow the heat to begin melting the chocolate, then stir gently from the center outward until you obtain a perfectly smooth and shiny mixture. Then incorporate the butter cut into small pieces and the vanilla extract, continuing to stir until the butter is completely melted and incorporated. This addition of butter is the secret to a perfectly silky ganache that melts in your mouth. Let the ganache cool slightly for a few minutes, until it reaches a pourable consistency but isn’t too liquid.

Assembling the Tart

Once the tart shell is completely cooled and the ganache has reached the right consistency, you can proceed with assembly. Pour the still warm chocolate ganache over the cooled tart shell, ensuring it spreads evenly. If necessary, slightly tilt the pan to help the ganache reach the edges. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, then place the tart in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, ideally 4 hours or overnight. This refrigeration time is essential for the ganache to set perfectly and reach the ideal texture: firm but melt-in-the-mouth. Just before serving, carefully arrange the fresh raspberries on top of the ganache. You can place them in concentric circles for a more formal effect, or distribute them more naturally according to your preference. The important thing is to generously cover the surface to create that striking visual contrast between the bright red raspberries and the deep brown chocolate. Finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar using a small sieve or fine mesh strainer, and optionally garnish with a few fresh mint leaves for an additional touch of color.

Pro Tips

• Use 70% cocoa couverture chocolate for a perfectly balanced ganache
• Avoid overworking the pastry to keep it crumbly and melt-in-the-mouth
• For clean tart edges, use a pan with removable bottom and remove it just before serving
• Slightly tart raspberries perfectly counterbalance the richness of the chocolate
• A hint of fleur de sel on the ganache before adding the raspberries enhances all the flavors

Storage Tips

This Chocolate and Raspberry Tart is at its flavor peak on the same day of its complete preparation, when the contrast between the melting ganache and fresh raspberries is perfect. However, it can be prepared in several stages to facilitate organization. The baked tart shell can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored at room temperature in an airtight container or simply covered with plastic wrap. The ganache can also be prepared the day before and stored in the refrigerator, but will need to be slightly warmed to room temperature or a few seconds in the microwave to regain a pourable consistency.

Once the tart is completely assembled with the raspberries, it keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, although the texture of the raspberries will begin to deteriorate after the first day. For optimal storage, gently cover the tart with a pastry dome or plastic wrap without touching the raspberries. It is not recommended to freeze this tart, as the texture of the ganache and raspberries would be significantly altered.

To serve, remove the tart from the refrigerator about 15-20 minutes before eating to allow the ganache to soften slightly and the flavors to fully develop. Use a knife with a thin, hot blade (dipped in hot water and wiped dry) for neat and elegant cuts.

Customization Ideas

The beauty of this tart lies not only in its elegant simplicity but also in its ability to be adapted according to your preferences or occasions. For a festive version, replace the raspberries with a mix of berries – raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and currants create a spectacular visual effect while bringing varied flavor notes. For lovers of more complex flavors, infuse the cream with a cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, or a bit of orange zest before preparing the ganache.

Variations on chocolate also offer numerous possibilities. Try a mix of dark and milk chocolate for a milder ganache, or incorporate a hint of white chocolate for more complexity. For a more intense version, add a teaspoon of instant espresso to the hot cream, which will amplify the chocolate aromas without adding a pronounced coffee taste.

For an exotic touch, flavor the ganache with a teaspoon of dark rum, Grand Marnier, or Amaretto. You can also explore bolder flavors such as a pinch of cayenne pepper or freshly ground black pepper, which create a fascinating contrast with the sweetness of the chocolate and the acidity of the raspberries.

For a gluten-free version, replace the wheat flour with a blend of gluten-free flours and add a quarter teaspoon of xanthan gum to maintain the texture. Vegan options can include using vegetable margarine instead of butter and coconut cream instead of heavy cream, although the final texture may vary slightly.

Special Technique: The Perfect Ganache

The difference between an ordinary chocolate tart and an exceptional creation often lies in the quality of the ganache. This emulsion of chocolate and cream, seemingly simple, actually hides a precise science that professional pastry chefs master. The classic ratio for a tart ganache is 1:1 by weight between chocolate and cream, but that’s just the beginning of the story.

Temperature plays a crucial role in the success of a perfect ganache. The cream must be heated precisely between 175°F and 185°F (80°C and 85°C) – hot enough to melt the chocolate but not enough to burn it or make it grainy. Using a kitchen thermometer might seem excessive, but it’s often the pastry chef’s secret for consistent results.

The incorporation method is just as important as the ingredients themselves. After pouring the hot cream over the chocolate, the waiting time of exactly one minute allows the heat to penetrate the chocolate particles without overloading them. The mixing motion should then begin at the center of the bowl, gradually widening toward the edges, creating a stable emulsion where the fat molecules are perfectly suspended in the aqueous solution.

The addition of the final butter, often neglected in simplified recipes, is a professional finishing technique called “mounting with butter.” This butter must be incorporated at a precise temperature of the ganache (about 95°F/35°C) to form fat crystals that, upon cooling, will create that characteristic texture that melts in the mouth while maintaining its structure.

A final professional secret is to let the ganache crystallize at room temperature for the first 10 minutes before refrigerating it. This step allows for more uniform crystal formation that results in a silkier texture and more intense shine. These technical details may seem minor, but it’s their sum that transforms a simple chocolate tart into a memorable gastronomic experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen raspberries for this tart?

Fresh raspberries are ideal for their texture and appearance, but if you only have frozen raspberries, thaw them and drain them carefully on paper towels before placing them on the ganache. Note that their texture will be softer.

My ganache has a grainy texture, what happened?

This usually happens when the chocolate is heated to too high a temperature or when water comes into contact with the melted chocolate. To recover a ganache that has “split,” incorporate 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot cream or milk while whisking vigorously.

How do I get perfectly clean tart edges?

Once the pastry is placed in the pan, use a rolling pin to roll over the edges of the pan, which will cut off the excess pastry. For an even cleaner result, place the lined pan in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking.

The ganache isn’t setting, what should I do?

If after several hours of refrigeration, your ganache remains too soft, it’s probably due to a cream/chocolate ratio that’s too high. You can rectify this by gently melting a bit more chocolate and incorporating it into the ganache.

Can I prepare this tart without dairy products?

Yes, you can replace the butter with vegetable margarine and the heavy cream with thick coconut cream (the solid part of canned coconut milk). The taste will be slightly different but equally delicious.