Recipe Friday: Marmalade and Dark Chocolate Tart

by Jodi ~ March 19, 2010

Marmalade and dark chocolate tart

This recipe was born of necessity.

While recently reviewing a cookbook, I tried a recipe for Seville orange marmalade that, while extremely delicious, had the consistency of cement. (I suspect the recipe neglects to instruct followers to top up the water level after the oranges go through their first boil.)

Since it was clear that this marmalade was never going to be spreadable on toast, I was determined to come up with a recipe that could showcase its flavour — all at once it’s bitter and citrusy and floral and sweet — while also finding a way around its texture. Knowing that (1) dark chocolate is a classic flavour pairing with bitter orange and (2) I had a block of Callebaut dark couverture sitting in my pantry, I got to work.

The results? A marmalade and dark chocolate tart recipe that is good enough to share (find it after the jump). And since this post is more about the recipe than the photo, I’m happy to introduce Recipe Friday. It will now be in the mix with Photo Friday, offering a tasty little morsel at the end of each week.

Marmalade and Dark Chocolate Tart
The sweet tart shell in this recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen; while I find Deb’s pastry a little too dry, adding just enough milk to bring it together seems to do the trick. The chocolate portion of the filling is inspired by the recipe for an unbaked chocolate tart in Jamie Oliver’s first cookbook, The Naked Chef. Be forewarned: This tart is bold! If you’re using a good-quality marmalade, it will be powerfully flavoured, as is chocolate of excellent quality. Together, they pack a flavour punch. The two textures blend nicely as well, with chewy pieces of peel in the marmalade underlying the sumptuous smoothness of the chocolate. This tart is also very rich, so slice it thinly for serving.

For the sweet tart pastry:

• 1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1–2 Tablespoons cold milk

1. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until blended. Scatter the butter pieces over the surface of the flour mixture and pulse until they are approximately the size of peas. Add egg and pulse until it is combined. Pulse in the milk a little at a time until the dough will just hold together when pinched between your fingers (you may not need the entire 2 Tablespoons of milk).

2. Scrape dough into an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press into place to form the shell, being generous with the amount pressed up the sides, which will help prevent shrinkage when baking the shell blind. Prick the bottom and sides of the tart shell with the tines of a fork and then place it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 375ºF. Remove the tart shell from the freezer and bake for 20–25 minutes. While tart is baking, cut a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover the surface of the tart when pressed in snugly and butter the shiny side. Remove shell from the oven cover the surface with foil, buttered side down, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

4. Remove tart shell to a rack and cool completely before filling.

For the filling:

• 3/4 cup good-quality orange marmalade
• 1-2 Tablespoons Cointreau
• 1/2 cup plus 3 Tablespoons heavy (35%) cream
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• pinch sea salt
• 1/4 cup butter at room temperature
• 1/2 pound high-quality bittersweet couverture chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1/4 cup cold milk
• unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Heat the marmalade over low heat, thinning with the Cointreau until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Spread evenly over the entire surface, including up the sides, of the cooled tart shell.

2. Place the cream, sugar, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat immediately and add in the butter and chocolate, stirring until they have melted completely. Cool slightly and then whisk in the cold milk until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy.

3. Pour filling over the marmalade-painted crust. Jiggle the tart to distribute filling evenly and allow to cool for at least two hours, until the filling achieves the consistency of soft butter. Dust the surface of the tart with the cocoa powder to serve.

Serves 12