Recipes

Cherry and Hazelnut Chocolate Tart

Satisfy your eyes and your tastebuds with this delicious tart

By Caren McSherry /

Credit: Flickr / missmeng

Toasted coconut pastry and a hazelnut filling come together to make this beautiful chocolate tart

Brandied cherries, hazelnut chocolate and swirls of white chocolate combine to make this tart a dessert-lover’s delight

I use brandied French cherries sold in a jar for this tart, but you can choose sour cherries if you like those better. The wow factor is the gold flake, although the shavings of white chocolate against the dark chocolate are usually sufficient.

Ingredients

Toasted Coconut Pastry:

  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/4 cup flaked coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

Filling:

  • 1-1/2 cups whipping cream
  • 1-1/2 lb. gianduja (hazelnut chocolate), chopped
  • 1 cup jarred brandied cherries, drained and halved
  • 6 oz. white chocolate, shaved into swirls (garnish)
  • Edible gold leaf (optional garnish)

Instructions

  1. Place all the pastry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor; pulse 10 times, and then let the machine run until the dough forms a ball on the side of the bowl.
  2. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
  3. When chilled, roll out the dough and fit into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. (If the pastry breaks while rolling, simply press it into place. The dough is a short crust, so it will not be affected by overhandling the way a flaky pastry would be).
  4. Freeze tart for 15 minutes.
  5. After freezing, line the tart with baking weights and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
  6. Remove the weights and set aside.
  7. To make the filling, heat the cream in a heavy-bottomed pot until it just begins to form bubbles.
  8. Turn off the heat, add the chopped chocolate, and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool to room temperature, but do not let the ganache set.
  9. As soon as it is cool and still liquid, pour chocolate mixture into the prepared tart shell.
  10. Scatter the cherries evenly over the chocolate and gently push them in so that they are covered. Chill the tart until it is set.
  11. To serve, garnish with a swirl of white chocolate and gold leaf (if using).

Serves 8 to 10.

Originally published in TVW. For daily programming updates and on-screen Entertainment news, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.