Raspberry Chocolate Silk Tart

Raspberries and dark chocolate look beautiful together and taste even better, especially if you follow my few caveats to ensure the chocolate will not overpower the raspberry flavor. I don’t cook the raspberries, and I use frozen unsweetened berries instead of fresh—even in season—when making the purée (called a coulis). Mixing a good-quality seedless raspberry jam or straining the seeded kind into the purée adds even more raspberry flavor. Save the fresh seasonal berries for the top of the tart, using a mix of golden and red berries for a stunning presentation.

Makes one 9 to 91⁄2-inch / 23 to 24-cm tart

7 ounces / 198 grams dark chocolate (66 to 70%), finely chopped

3 ⁄4 cup / 180 ml canned unsweetened full-fat coconut milk, well-stirred (do not use light)

1 ⁄4 cup / 50 grams organic granulated sugar

1 ⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 ⁄2 cup / 61 grams frozen raspberries

3 tablespoons plus 1 ⁄4 cup / 105 ml seedless raspberry jam, divided

1 tablespoon / 15 ml framboise (optional)

1 tablespoon / 15 ml mild tasting extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon / 5 ml pure vanilla extract

1 Almond Cookie Crust, baked in a tart pan with a removable bottom and cooled (Recipe Follows)

1 ⁄2 to 1 pint / 250 to 500 ml fresh raspberries, red and golden, for garnish (optional)

2 to 3 tablespoons / 12 to 18 grams organic confectioners’ sugar for garnish (optional)

Put the chocolate into a medium heatproof bowl and set aside until needed.

In a small saucepan, bring the coconut milk, sugar, and salt to a low boil over medium heat, stirring a few times as the milk heats. Strain the hot milk through a fine mesh strainer directly into the chocolate. Swirl the bowl to ensure the chocolate is submerged. Cover the bowl with a plate and set aside undisturbed for 4 minutes.

While the chocolate mixture sits, make the raspberry coulis: Mash the frozen raspberries with a fork and press them through a small fine mesh sieve into a small bowl (you should have about 3 tablespoons / 45 ml of purée). Stir 3 tablespoons / 45 ml of the raspberry jam and the framboise (if using) into the purée and set aside until needed. The coulis (purée) can be made ahead; use at room temperature.

Uncover the bowl of chocolate and whisk from the center out until the ganache is smooth. Stir the raspberry coulis, olive oil, and vanilla into the ganache.

Assemble The Tart

Mix the remaining 1⁄4cup / 60 ml of the raspberry jam and 1⁄3cup / 80 ml of the ganache in a small bowl and spread over the crust. Chill briefly until the ganache is set. Pour the remaining raspberry ganache into the tart crust, and slowly rotate the tart to level the top. Chill until the filling is set.

Serving

Garnish the tart with fresh raspberries and a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar if you like. For the neatest slices, cut the tart cold, but serve at room temperature.

Keeping

The assembled tart can be refrigerated for up to two days. Add the fruit and sugar garnish just before serving.

Almond Cookie Crust

Combine finely ground nuts with flour, sweetener, and flavorings; bind the mixture with just enough fat; press the crumb into a removable-bottom tart pan; bake, and let cool. That’s all you need to do before you can load tender crust up with any unbaked creamy filling or even ice cream. Using a removable-bottom tart pan makes the prettiest presentation, but you can bake the crust in a well-oiled pie pan instead.

Makes one (9 to 91⁄2-inch / 23 to 24-cm) crust or six (4-inch / 10-cm) tarts

1/2 cup / 64 grams organic all-purpose flour

1/2 cup / 70 grams organic whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

3/4 cup / 106 grams whole unpeeled almonds, toasted cooled

1/4 cup / 60 ml mild tasting extra-virgin olive oil or organic neutral vegetable oil

1/4 cup / 60 ml pure maple syrup, Grade B or dark amber

1 1/2 teaspoons / 7.5 ml pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place a 9-inch / 23-cm tart pan with a removable bottom on a baking sheet. A nonstick pan is highly recommended; and it still needs to be lightly oiled. If using a regular pan, coat thoroughly with oil or cooking spray.

Place a wire mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Add the all-purpose flour, pastry flour, cinnamon, and salt to the strainer and stir with a whisk to sift the ingredients into the bowl. (If any small bits remain in the strainer, add them to the mixture in the bowl.) Whisk to aerate the mixture.

Grind the almonds to a fine meal in a food processor. Do not process longer or the nuts will be oily. Stir the ground almonds into the flour mixture.

Whisk the oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and almond extracts in a small bowl until completely combined. Pour over the dry mixture and mix with a silicone spatula until the crumbs are evenly moistened and a small amount squeezed between your fingers sticks together. In the unlikely case that it does not, add a little more maple syrup. If it is still too dry, add a little more oil.

Spoon the dough into the tart pan. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the crust and use a flat- bottomed glass or cup to press the dough into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the pan, making the bottom a little thicker than the sides. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. While it chills, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 ̊F / 190 ̊C.

Place the baking sheet on the center rack, and immediately reduce the temperature to 350 ̊F / 180 ̊C. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the sides are lightly browned and the bottom looks evenly dry. The crust may puff up in a few spots, but do not be concerned. Just push the high spots down lightly after the crust is removed from the oven.

Set the baking sheet on a wire rack. Do not touch the sides of the crust—they are soft and easily broken when hot, but become firm as the crust cools.

Release the sides after 5 minutes: Holding the sides with a dry kitchen cloth, lift the tart pan onto a jar or can. The sides will slip right off. Carefully move the tart crust to the wire rack and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate or freeze until cold before filling.

From Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy-Free Desserts, © 2013 by Fran Costigan. Photo © Kate Lewis 2013