Easy Guittard Chocolate Berry Tary Recipe

Book credit: Guittard Chocolate Cookbook: Decadent Recipes from San Francisco’s Premium Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Company by Amy Guittard and foreword by Alice Medrich (Chronicle Books, £15.99).
Image credit: © 2015 by Antonis Achilleos
Link: http://abramsandchronicle.co.uk/books/food-and-drink/9781452135335-guittard-chocolate-cookbook
“My aunt Vicki and uncle Peter live about an hour and a half north of San Francisco in a little town on the Russian River. Growing up, we’d spend our summer days floating down the river and the evenings picking blackberries from the bushes around their property. Even now, whenever we visit them, my brother Jesse, his wife, Alice, and I walk down the road with strainers in hand, armed and ready to see who can bring back the biggest berry haul. Blackberries and chocolate may not seem like a typical combination, but the two work deliciously together. Juicy berries top the sweet cream filling; the chocolate crust and ganache layer deliver an intense chocolate flavor. When I can’t find good blackberries, I use raspberries, which look so pretty atop this tart, but you can use any other yummy berry at hand, such as fresh strawberries or olallieberries.”

This is not just for Valentine’s Day but why not do something special this week and make this for a loved one? I think it’s perfect for anniversaries, birthdays and really it could be used for any celebration. Just adjust the shape and make it for Easter!

MAKES ONE 4-BY-13-IN [10-BY-33-CM] OR 9‑IN [23‑CM] ROUND TART

TART SHELL
3/4 cup [90 g] all-purpose flour
1/4 cup [20 g] Guittard Cocoa Rouge (Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder)
2 Tbsp cacao nibs
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup [55 g] unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup [50 g] granulated sugar
1 large egg
Chocolate Ganache (see Ganache recipe)

FILLING
1 cup [230 g] cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup [200 g] superfine sugar
1/4 cup [20 g] Guittard Cocoa Rouge (Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder)
2 cups [215 g] fresh raspberries or blackberries

To make this recipe:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C]. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• To make the tart shell: In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, cacao nibs, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, with a hand mixer, beat together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until smooth. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until the dough comes together in a ball. Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 days. (The dough can also be frozen for up to 3 weeks. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before using.)
• Preheat the oven to 325°F [165°C]. Set aside a 4‑by‑13‑in [10‑by‑33‑cm] or 9‑in [23‑cm] tart pan.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough to 5 by 14 in [12 by 35.5 cm] or a 10‑in [25‑cm] round, dusting with a little more flour as needed to keep it from sticking. If the dough gets too sticky, put it back in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes and add a little more flour to your work surface. Roll the round of dough onto the rolling pin and carefully unroll the dough into the tart pan. Press the dough down into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Using a fork, poke holes in the dough to keep it from puffing up too much while baking.
• Bake the crust for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the dough is puffed and slightly darker around the edges. The crust will still look a little doughy in the center, but it will set as it cools. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• When the crust is cool, pour the ganache into the shell and spread it out evenly. Set aside.

• To make the filling: In a large bowl, with a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, superfine sugar, and cocoa powder until combined, thick, and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Pour the filling into the crust and spread it evenly over the ganache. Place the berries on the top in any design you’d like. Refrigerate the tart for at least 1 hour, or overnight, then slice into wedges and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.