Chocolate Lake tart is a recipe from my beloved Aunt Irene…and this wonderful dessert (addictive I assure you) is inextricably linked to my childhood memories during the Christmas holidays. And if you ask Irene she will tell you…decorated with green candied cherries, absolutely! The base is a shortcrust pastry cooked “blind” with a very dark and soft chocolate cream inside. Once you have made it, you will become a bit of a slave to it…
Let’s see what you need for a 26 cm diameter lake.
Ingredients:
For the shortcrust pastry:
- 300 g flour
- 200 g butter
- 100 g sugar
- 3 egg yolks
For the chocolate ganache:
- 225 g dark chocolate
- 300 g fresh whipping cream
- 180 g sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- aside: 100 ml fresh whipping cream to decorate, candied cherries.
Shortcrust pastry (I recommend preparing it 2-3 days in advance): Mix the butter cut into pieces with the flour and sugar to obtain a “crumbled” dough, then add the egg yolks one at a time and work the dough until it is soft and elastic (shortcrust pastry). Leave it to rest for half an hour in the fridge and then roll it out with a rolling pin on a tart pan with a removable bottom (24-26 cm) previously buttered and floured. Trim the edges carefully and prick the bottom with the prongs of a fork. Cover with baking paper and pour dry beans/chickpeas on top so that they act as “weight”.
Bake at 200°C for about 25 minutes, halfway through the time remove the baking paper and dried legumes and continue cooking, if possible do not let it brown. Let it cool.
Chocolate ganache: Chop the chocolate in the mixer and melt it in a bain-marie.
In a saucepan, heat the cream with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved, stirring. Add the chocolate cream a little at a time, stirring continuously and leaving everything in a bain-marie for a few minutes: you will obtain a soft and shiny mixture, let it cool.
At this point, add the egg yolks, one at a time, mix very well and put back in a bain-marie or on a very low heat for another 5 minutes.
Pour the still hot cream into the previously baked tart shell. Give it a light tap to settle everything and let it cool and then put it in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours (it is even better if you do it the day before).
Separately whip the cream with a spoonful of icing sugar and decorate your tart with a piping bag, add the candied cherries, which always give a vintage touch, or have fun with the cream.
Cut into thin slices (it’s really a bomb) and taste it… it will give you a big smile 🙂 Long live Aunt Irene!
