The winter months are when strawberries bloom and can be found at their best in India. However, I thought this wasn’t true for the humble city I call home for the longest time. Over the last year, I’ve seen this city develop tremendously. There was a time when I had to miserly use chocolate chips or confectioners sugar because I didn’t know when I could purchase them again. However, now, I don’t have to think twice before using loads of chocolate chips in my desserts. Naturally, it’ll be unsurprising when I say that I came across boxes and boxes of strawberries at the local fruit market.
I had given up on my search for strawberries and had settled for the dried sugary kind when I came across the most bright and juicy strawberries. I couldn’t control myself and purchased nearly a kilogram of them!
The next hurdle was my mind blanking at the thought of what to make with strawberries. I took to Instagram to ask my followers what desserts I should make with strawberries. A few of the suggestions were for a chocolate and strawberry tart. Therefore, that’s what this post is about.
This post contains a recipe for the most intensely chocolatey tart topped with fresh strawberries. It is an exceptionally delicious dessert, and anyone who loves chocolate is going to love this. It’s a very straightforward recipe and actually requires very little baking.
This is one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever posted here, it’s impossible to mess this one up, and pretty much anyone can make it. Plus, it’s going to be so pretty to look at!
What goes into this tart?
Like any tart or pie, this chocolate and strawberry tart contains three main components. They are the crust, the filling, and the topping.
I use a chocolate shortbread dough for the crust, and the best way to describe it is — intense. It’s barely sweet, and it’s got a rich chocolate flavor all the way through. Shortbread is super easy to make. It’s buttery, crumbly, and plays wonderfully with the other elements. You’ll need natural cocoa powder, some all-purpose flour, salt, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla to make the chocolate shortbread crust.
The next element is arguably the most important one; it’s the filling. The filling is somewhat like a chocolate pudding; it is silky, rich, and super creamy. Again, the filling is super simple to make, and I request you to use the best quality dark chocolate you can get your hands on. It’s best to use a dark chocolate bar or couverture chocolate if you can get some and use chocolate with a cocoa content above 55%. Do not use compound chocolate as it’s just cocoa and vegetable oil; the flavor won’t be as strong. Apart from the dark chocolate, you will need some heavy or fresh cream, brown sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla.
The last component is the topping; in this case, it’s the strawberries. I decided to leave the strawberries as they are so that the tangy flavor of the fruit cuts through the tart’s intense chocolate flavor. I also recommend to top it with some sweetened whipped cream to tie it all together.
What equipment do I need to make this tart?
You’ll need very little equipment to make the chocolate and strawberry tart.
For the chocolate shortbread crust, you’ll need an electric hand mixer and a mixing bowl. For the filling, you’ll need a heat-safe glass bowl and a saucepan. The saucepan’s mouth should be just big enough for the glass bowl to sit on.
Apart from these, you’ll need a tart tin that has 10-inches in diameter. You will also need a whisk and a rubber spatula, and lastly, measuring tools.
Recipe For The Chocolate and Strawberry Tart
Time: 45 minutes plus refrigeration
Yields: One 10-inch tart
INGREDIENTS
Crust:
173 grams (1 ½ cup) all-purpose flour
45 grams natural (6 tablespoons) cocoa powder
3 grams (¾ teaspoon) fine sea salt
174 grams (¾ cup) room temperature butter
48 grams (½ cup) powdered sugar
5 grams (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
Filling:
60 grams (¼ cup) softened butter
240 grams (1 cup) heavy cream
300 grams (2 cups) dark chocolate, chopped
36 grams (2 ½ tablespoons) brown sugar
4 grams (1 teaspoon) sea salt
5 grams (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
Toppings:
150 grams (¾ cup) strawberries, sliced or whole
120 grams (2 cups) whipped cream
METHOD
Crust:
Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer, followed by the vanilla extract.
Sift in the dry ingredients and mix until you have a crumbly dough.
Grease a 10-inch tart tin and evenly distribute the dough on the base and sides.
Refrigerate the dough for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Poke vents in the crust with a fork.
Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes.
Let the tart shell cool down completely at room temperature.
Filling:
Fill a saucepan with water and bring it to a boil.
Once the water has reached the boiling point, turn the heat to medium, and place a heat-safe glass bowl on top of it. Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
Add the heavy cream to the glass bowl, and let it heat for a minute or two.
Whisk in the vanilla extract, followed by the brown sugar.
Once the brown sugar is dissolved, add the chopped chocolate, and let it heat up for a minute or two.
When the chocolate begins melting, add the butter and salt.
Keep whisking until all of the ingredients have combined, and you have a smooth chocolate filling.
Remove the glass bowl from the heat and let it cool down for a minute.
Pour the chocolate filling into the cooled tart shell.
Gently spread around the filling to the ends of the tart shell.
Refrigerate the tart for 3-4 hours or overnight to solidify the filling.
Place the strawberries over the chocolate filling evenly. Serve it with whipped cream if you’d like.
Notes
If you want something a little less intense, you can swap the baked shortbread crust for a digestive biscuit crust. You’ll need about 15-20 digestive biscuits and 6-7 tablespoons of melted butter. You mix the two together, press it down in the greased tart tin, and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
If you liked this recipe or tried it, let me know in the comments below or post it to my Instagram and Facebook, I'd love to see your creations!
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