Sourdough Chocolate Tart

Developing four new chocolate recipes for this little month of chocolate we’ve been having here on the blog has gotten me thinking a lot about the perfect chocolate dessert, and to be honest, I think that chocolate desserts are some of the hardest when it comes to creativity and innovation. If you’ve been around the blog for any amount of time, you’ve discovered that I tend to lean heavily on plants, like flowers, herbs, and fruit to create new and exciting flavor combinations, but sometimes, it feels like there are only so many things that go with chocolate. You’ve got caramel, coffee, little red fruits (strawberries, raspberries, cherries), nuts and nut butters, and mint (which is not my favorite flavor combo). On top of the fairly narrow list of greatest hits in flavor, people usually feel very strongly about their chocolate desserts. The type of person who goes to a fancy restaurant and orders a chocolate dessert usually has certain expectations. They want something rich and decadent and that somewhat screams THIS IS A CHOCOLATE DESSERT. And I don’t blame them one bit, but for recipe developers like myself, unique but classic desserts are one of those areas where we have to work a little harder. Does the world really need another molten cake recipe? And how can I make a chocolate souffle any better than it already is? These are the questions that keep me up at night.

The idea for this recipe has been floating in my mind since last summer. I wanted to create an ultra-simple dessert where texture and that alluring chocolate flavor were right in the forefront, but that used a few extras to provide some funk and depth. The crust for this tart is made like a graham cracker crust, but using sourdough bread crumbs. Stale sourdough is toasted and then broken up into coarse pieces, combined with nutty browned butter and pressed into the bottom of a tart pan to create a tangy canvas, that’s both crispy and soft—like a really great piece of toast. The chocolate cremeux filling is silky and creamy, slightly thicker than a chocolate pudding and softer than a ganache. Honestly, its just perfect. And the whole thing is finished with crunches of flaky salt. Viola.

If you were feeling like you wanted to take this tart to the next level, you could drizzle each slice with vanilla olive oil. Simply scrape the paste from 1-2 vanilla beans into a pint of good olive oil. Add in the empty vanilla bean pods, shake well and keep at room temperature. It’s great on everything from fruit to ice cream. For a riff on a chocolate cream pie, pile some freshly whipped cream on top of your finished tart and garnish with chocolate shavings.

Sourdough Chocolate Tart 

Yield: 1 9 1/2” tart 

Ingredients: 

for the sourdough crust 

1 1/2 cups sourdough breadcrumbs (for about a 1/4 sourdough boule)

2 T granulated sugar

4 T (57 g) unsalted butter 

for the chocolate cremeux: 

1/3 cup (80 g) granulated sugar 

1 cup (250 g) whole milk 

1 cup (250 g) heavy cream

3 egg yolks 

1 tsp kosher salt

6 oz dark chocolate, chopped (I used a combination of 100% and 54%)

Procedure: 

to make the sourdough crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. 

2. Tear sourdough bread into large chunks and toast for 4-6 minutes. Let cool completely and then add to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until you have coarse breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and the salt and pulse again to combine, about 30 seconds. 

3. Place butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat for about 5-7 minutes, until butter is nutty and fragrant and begins to turn amber in color. Transfer butter into a heat-proof dish and let cool completely. 

4. With the food processor running, stream in browned butter and mix until combined. 

5. Pour breadcrumbs into a 9 1/2” tart pan and press firmly into a single, even layer in the bottom of the pan. 

6. Bake tart crust for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely. 

to make the chocolate cremeux: 

1. Place chopped chocolate in a large glass bowl and set aside. 

2. In a medium saucepan set of medium heat, combine milk and cream. In another mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt. 

3. Heat milk and cream until small bubbles begin to appear around the edges of the pot. When hot, slowly stream hot milk/cream into the sugar and egg mixture, whisking continually. When all of the cream is added to the eggs, transfer the entire mixture back to the saucepan and return to medium heat. 

4. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon. 

5. Immediately pour cream sauce over chopped chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. 

6. Starting in the center of the bowl, begin to whisk vigorously until chocolate and cream are completely emulsified and smooth and then whisk for one minute more. 

7. Pour crémeux into prepared tart crust and carefully transfer to the refrigerator. Chill until set, or overnight. 

8. Sprinkle with flaky salt before serving. 

Espresso Chiffon Layer Cake with Chocolate Ganache Buttercream and Salted Caramel

Every year, I ask Martin what kind of cake he wants for his birthday and every year he replies with one word— “fluffy”. It drives me crazy! He never cares about flavor or frosting or fillings, but fluffiness is his peak concern. Maybe, sometime soon, I will learn to stop asking. In the meantime, he will get the fluffiest cake I know—chiffon cake.

What is exactly is a chiffon cake, you ask? Excellent question, one I wish I could give a definitive answer to. In my cakes class in pastry school, our chef taught us that chiffon cakes are similar to angel food cakes in that they rely on egg whites for their leavening. The key difference, she said, was that chiffon cakes also include some sort of carbonated ingredient like club soda, seltzer, or even champagne. When I began testing this recipe, I embarked on my own chiffon cake research and could find absolutely nothing on the internet about carbonation being a mark of a chiffon cake. So who knows? What I can tell you, is that a chiffon cake does rely on the use of egg whites for it’s lift, includes some fat (angel food cake does not), and is endlessly fluffy. Also, I don’t think it would be a bad idea to start incorporating more champagne in cakes.

This espresso chiffon cake is layered with the silkiest ganache buttercream and enough salted caramel for it to ooze out the sides. It feels sultry (is that a word I can use to describe cake??) and romantic and like a messy bun updo, it’s just the right amount approachable and elegant. I highly recommend doubling the ganache buttercream and keeping the leftovers in your fridge for all the leftover cake scraps.

Espresso Chiffon Layer Cake with Chocolate Ganache Buttercream

Yield: 1 8” 4-layer cake or two 5” 3-layer cakes

Ingredients: 

for the cake: 

7 eggs, separated 

1 tbsp vanilla extract 

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup + 2 tbsp (8 oz; 230 g) granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup (4 oz) neutral oil

2/3 cup (5 oz) strong brewed espresso

1 1/2 cup (9 oz; 260 g) all purpose flour 

for the chocolate ganache buttercream: 

recipe from Tartine

8 oz (225 g) dark chocolate, chopped 

1 cup (240 g) heavy cream

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

10 T (140 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature 

for the salted caramel: 

recipe from Bobby Flay via NYTimes Cooking 

1 cup granulated sugar 

1/2 cup heavy cream 

2 T unsalted butter

1 tsp kosher salt 

Procedure: 

to make the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. 

2. In a small bowl, stir together granulated sugar and baking powder.

3. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine egg whites, vanilla, and salt. Whip on medium-low speed until whites are frothy then, with the mixer running, stream in granulated sugar and baking powder. When all of the sugar is added, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip until a loose, silky meringue forms. When you pull the whisk out of the meringue, it should leave a ribbon mark that somewhat holds it’s shape. 

4. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, oil, and espresso. Add flour, and continue to whisk. This should be a thick paste-like batter. 

5. Using a rubber spatula, add a small amount (one scoop, about 1/2 cup) of the meringue to the batter. Mix this vigorously until fully combined. (Doing this lightens up the batter and makes it easier for the meringue to be folded in.)

6. Gently fold the remaining meringue into the batter in 3 batches, adding more only when the previous amount is combined. 

7. When everything is mixed together, the batter should be light and fluffy, a light-tan in color, and there should be no meringue streaks left. 

8. Divide batter evenly into 2, ungreased and unlined 8” cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until cake is set and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 

9. Immediately flip the cakes over onto a wire cooling rack, but do not remove the pans. Allow cakes to cool upside-down in the pans for at least 30 minutes, until cooled throughly. When cool, you can remove the cakes from the pans and set aside until you are ready to assemble.

to make the ganache buttercream:

1. Place chopped chocolate in a heat-proof glass bowl set over a double boiler. Heat, stirring occasionally until chocolate is completely melted and set aside. 

2. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine heavy cream and sugar. Heat until sugar is dissolved and small bubbles begin to appear around the edges of the pot. Pour half of the cream mixture into the melted chocolate and whisk to combine. Add the remaining cream to the chocolate and whisk until the mixture is completely emulsified. 

3. Add the butter, a couple of cubes at a time, and whisk until completely melted and homogenized and then whisk a minute longer. 

4. Cover the frosting with plastic wrap and let sit to cool at room temperature for at least 6 hours until thickened slightly. 

to make the salted caramel:

1. In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine sugar and 1/4 cup water. Without stirring, cook sugar until a deep amber color.

2. While the sugar is cooking, heat cream in the microwave or a small saucepan until slightly warm to the touch, just to remove the chill. Remove caramel from the heat and slowly whisk in heavy cream. (Caramel will bubble up, this is normal.)

3. Return to the heat, and cook another minute or two. Add butter, whisking until combined, followed by salt. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Red Wine Flourless Chocolate Cake with Goat Cheese Whipped Cream and Roasted Strawberries

As I was planning my February “month of chocolate” recipes, I knew that I wanted whatever recipe I shared this week to feel Valentine’s-y. As I started brainstorming recipes and ideas, I started thinking about just what Valentine’s Day actually feels like—is it fancy dinners at high-end steakhouses or pizza ordered in while watching movies on the couch? Is Valentine’s only meant for couples or for singles with great friends? I couldn’t develop a recipe that felt perfect for the holiday of love until I figured out what exactly this holiday is to me. As I thought through it, I think it’s all of these things and maybe more.

This year, Martin and I are celebrating 7 years of marriage and 10 years of dating (neither of which I feel old enough for, but that’s besides the point). We’ve never been ones to save fancy date nights for special holidays, and honestly, most of our favorite dinners have been shared with friends. Our first Valentine’s Day together, Martin packed a cute little picnic and we sat by a lake for an entire afternoon, talking and munching on Cape Cod chips. We’ve had grand plans of making gnocchi for Valentine’s Day, only for them to turn out mediocre at best, and most years, we end up celebrating Valentine’s Day on a day other than the 14th. This past year has been my favorite year of marriage. Work was the busiest as its ever been for Martin and I moved to Tennessee for four months to work in a restaurant, and even though being apart doesn’t sound super romantic, it was because it meant that we were pushing each other to pursue our dreams. We had the opportunity to walk alongside each other as we explored new challenges and opportunities. As I think about Valentine’s Day, I think that’s what we really celebrate. We celebrate those consistent relationships in our life, the ones that push us into new adventures, and the ones that walk beside us in the day to day. We celebrate the people that we love spending time with, at fancy dinners or in sweats on the couch. And when I think about a dessert fitting of the holiday, I think it should be something that sums all of that up—something as rich and special as those people in our lives, while still feeling comfortable and everyday.

In my opinion, flourless chocolate cake is the best dessert around. It’s thick and fudgy, and feels indulgent and decadent, but it’s fairly easy to put together and bakes up in one little layer—super approachable. I added red wine to the batter for an extra splash of luxury, roasted a bunch of strawberries and heaped mounds of goat cheese whipped cream on top. So however you celebrate (or don’t celebrate) Valentine’s Day this year, leave some room for cake.

Yield: makes one 9" round cake

Author: Anna Ramiz

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Red Wine Flourless Chocolate Cake

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 30 M

A rich, decadent flourless chocolate cake with red wine, topped with goat cheese whipped cream and roasted strawberries.

Ingredients

for the cake

• 12 oz (340 g) dark chocolate pieces
• 1 1/2 sticks (165 g) unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 cup (120 grams) granulated sugar

for the roasted berries

• 1 lb fresh strawberries, green tops removed
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp red wine

for the goat cheese whipped cream

• 2.25 oz (65 g) goat cheese, softened
• 1 cup (8 oz) heavy cream
• 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
• splash of vanilla extract

Instructions

to make the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease a 9” springform pan and line the bottom with a parchment paper round.
2. Fill a medium-large saucepan with about 2” of water. Place chocolate and butter in a large, heatproof bowl that fits snugly on top of the saucepan. Turn to medium-hight heat and melt chocolate and butter until smooth and homogenous. When completely melted, remove from heat.
3. While the chocolate and butter mixture is still hot, whisk in brown sugar. Let cool until temperature reaches a warm, room temp.
4. When mixture is slightly cooled, add egg yolks, vanilla, salt, and red wine. Whisk to combine. Sift in cocoa powder and whisk once more until mixture is homogenous. Set aside.
5. Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and begin mixing on medium-low speed until whites become frothy. Increase mixer speed to medium and stream in granulated sugar. When all of the sugar is added, increase mixer speed to high and whip until a medium-soft, silky meringue forms. The meringue is ready when you can pull the whip attachment from the bowl and the peak holds it’s general shape, but the top falls over on itself.
6. Place half of the meringue into the bowl with the chocolate and gently fold to combine. When mostly combined, add the rest of the meringue and continue folding until the mixture is all one color and no meringue streaks remain.
7. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes, until top is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean. Remove from the oven and all to cool in the pan for at least an hour.
8. To yield the cleanest slices, remove ring after 1 hour and transfer cake to the fridge for a bit, preferably overnight, until cake is completely set up.

to make the roasted strawberries

1. Preheat oven to 350° F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Cut strawberries into halves or quarters, depending on the size of your berries. You want the pieces to be fairly large because they will get smaller as they roast. I did a mixture of halved and quartered berries. Place berries in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together syrup, olive oil, and salt. Pour mixture over the berries and toss to coat.
4. Spread berries into an even layer on the baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until soft and fragrant.
5. Remove from oven and return to mixing bowl. Pour red wine over the warm berries and fold gently with a rubber spatula to coat. Set aside until you are ready to use.

to make the goat cheese whipped cream

1. Place the goat cheese in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium-speed for 30 seconds or so, until goat cheese is soft and broken up.
2. Add heavy cream to the goat cheese and continue to mix on medium-low speed until the mixture begins to thicken slightly. (Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl regularly to ensure that all the goat cheese gets combined and isn’t clumpy).
3. When the cream begins to thicken slightly, add powdered sugar and vanilla and increase mixer speed to medium-high. Whip until soft peaks form.

Notes:

to assemble: Spread fresh whipped cream over the top of the cooled cake. Spoon roasted berries and wine sauce on top. This is definitely best enjoyed with a big glass of a bold and jammy glass of red wine.

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