This tart is decadent and a bit over the top, but it’s also everything you want when planning a celebration-style dessert. The various components can be made quickly and kept aside to be assembled as one, so, if you need to, take your time and space out the work over a few days. I’m going for triple chocolate here, but without making it sickly; the base is dark, crunchy and salted, the filling delicate and the topping slightly sharp and creamy.
Triple chocolate tart
Prep 50 min
Chill 4 hr+
Cook 40 min
Serves 8
For the biscuit crumb
200g plain flour
35g cocoa powder
80g light-brown sugar
½ tsp (3g) bicarbonate of soda
⅓ tsp (2g) sea salt
125g cold unsalted butter, cubed
50g golden syrup
For the tart
250g biscuit crumbs (see above and method)
70g unsalted butter, melted
For the milk chocolate panna cotta
1½ gelatine leaves
50ml double cream
50ml whole milk
Pinch of flaky salt
1 tbsp honey
200g milk chocolate, chopped into pieces
For the creme fraiche topping
130g creme fraiche
130ml double cream
½ vanilla pod, seeds scraped out (optional)
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp caster sugar
50g white chocolate
First make the biscuit crumb. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a food processor, combine all of the dry ingredients and mix well. Add in the butter and mix again until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Pour in the golden syrup and mix until a very loose dough forms. Spread this out on a large baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, and bake at 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 for 35-40 minutes, stirring it every 15 minutes so it bakes evenly. Leave to cool completely, then blitz to crumbs (or break up with a rolling pin).
Weigh out 250g of the crumb mix (the excess will keep well in an airtight container for two weeks; sprinkle over ice-cream or through an ice-cream base just before freezing, or mix through buttercream if you’re decorating a cake), then stir in the melted butter to coat. Press the buttery crumb mix into a 20cm loose-bottomed tart tin so it covers the bottom and goes up the sides, then chill while you make the filling.
Soak the gelatine in ice-cold water until soft, then squeeze out and set aside.
Warm the cream, milk, salt and honey in a medium pan until steaming, then add the softened gelatine and stir to dissolve. Pour over the chopped chocolate, leave to sit for a minute, then stir with a whisk until the chocolate melts. Leave to cool, then chill for four to six hours, until set.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the cooled panna cotta mixture for a minute or two, until it turns silky, then spoon over the crumb base and smooth out the top.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or by hand), whisk the creme fraiche, cream, vanilla (if using), salt and sugar to soft peaks, then spoon on top of the panna cotta. Chill, then serve with the white chocolate shaved on top to finish.
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