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Chocolate Pecan Tart
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London
Chocolate Pecan Tart
Building Feasts by Hanna Geller
Building Feasts by Hanna Geller
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$1.00
This tart (or pie, depending where you live) started its life as a very Southern, cloyingly sweet pecan pie in a layer of fudge chocolate, basically a quintessential Thanksgiving and festive classic. Handed down to me by a force of nature in my life, Claire was my London based surrogate American grandmother who taught me just about everything I ever needed to know about effortless entertaining with understated elegance. Many of my treasured pieces of crockery and linen were once hers and she is often in the kitchen with me, whispering suggestions and directions into my ear with her gentle, no-nonsense Southern drawl.
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You Need

1 tart

  • Pastry

    • 120g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) butter, cubed and cold
    • 220g (1 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) plain flour
    • 65g (2/3 cup) ground almonds (or walnut or hazelnut meal)
    • 60g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) confectioners sugar, sifted
    • 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
    • 1 large egg, beaten
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • Filling

    • 150g butter
    • 200g dark chocolate (preferably Pump Street 85% or 70% or over)
    • 200g dark muscovado sugar
    • 150g golden syrup
    • 4 large eggs
    • 60ml bourbon (or espresso as an alternative)
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • Pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
    • 150g maple roast pecans (or simply toasted)

  • Maple Roast Pecans

    • 150g raw pecan halves
    • 1 tbsp maple syrup
    • good pinch of Malden salt

    • How To

    1. Make the pastry: In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, rub the flour and butter together with your fingertips or slowly with the paddle attachment until it's a uniform sandy texture and there are no lumps of butter.
    2. Add the ground almonds, confectioners sugar and mix, followed by the egg and vanilla. Mix by hand until just incorporated, making sure not to overwork the dough.
    3. Form the dough into a flattened disc and wrap it airtight in cling film. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
    4. When ready to blind bake your crust, remove it from the fridge, and on a lightly floured surface, bash it with a rolling pin to break it up a little and soften it before rolling out into a 2-3mm (1/8 inch) thickness, turning after every roll.
    5. Carefully place into your tart tin, trim the edge and return to the fridge for about 30 minutes.
    6. Preheat your oven to 170C (340F) while the dough chills. When you are ready to blind bake, pick the base all over with a fork, cover with a piece of parchment paper and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for 15 minutes until light tan in colour. Cool while you make the filling.
    7. Make the Maple Roast Pecans. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the pecans in one layer and drizzle with maple syrup and stir to coat and spread out in one layer. Sprinkle over the salt Roast for 10 minutes in the oven while the pastry is baking or at any other convenient time. Stir them around after 5 minutes making sure they don't burn. Allow to cool
    8. Make the filling: In a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt together the butter and chocolate. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
    9. Stir in the dark muscovado sugar. Once completely incorporated, add the golden syrup, followed by the eggs, one at a time until the mixture is smooth and unctuous. Sprinkle through a small pinch of salt if using unsalted butter.
    10. Add the bourbon (or coffee) and vanilla and finally stir through the pecans, allowing them to break a little as you stir them through. Reserve a few to decorate the tops if you so desire.
    11. Bake for 45-50 minutes for a single tart until set, but still soft and with no wobble.