Smoked Guanaja Chocolate Tart...Smoked Guanaja Chocolate Tart with Rosemary Sablé and Blackberry Cabernet Gastrique

An avant-garde Michelin-star dessert balancing the rich, woody notes of applewood cold-smoked dark chocolate with an herbaceous rosemary crust, offset by a sharp, luscious blackberry-cabernet reduction and silky olive oil gel.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the Rosemary Sablé: In a food processor, pulse the flour, powdered sugar, minced rosemary, and a pinch of fleur de sel. Add 100g of cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse briefly just until a cohesive dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

2. 02

   Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Roll out the sablé dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of 3mm. Cut into six 8cm rounds and place into tart rings. Prick the bases with a fork and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

3. 03

   For the Smoked Ganache: If using a handheld food smoker, place the heavy cream in a shallow bowl, cover with plastic wrap, insert the hose, and fill with applewood smoke. Let sit infused for 10 minutes. Alternatively, heat the cream to a bare simmer. Pour the warm cream over the chopped Guanaja chocolate in three stages, stirring gently from the center outwards with a spatula to create a perfect emulsion. Stir in the remaining 30g of softened butter until glossy. Pour into the baked cooled tart shells and refrigerate for 2 hours to set.

4. 04

   For the Blackberry Cabernet Gastrique: Combine the blackberries, Cabernet Sauvignon, 50g granulated sugar, and balsamic vinegar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 15 minutes, crushing the berries slightly with a spoon, until reduced to a syrupy glaze. Strain through a fine-mesh chinois, discarding the seeds, and cool to room temperature.

5. 05

   For the Olive Oil Gel: In a small saucepan, bring 50ml of water, 15g sugar, and 1g agar-agar to a boil, whisking constantly for 1 minute to activate the agar. Remove from heat and slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil while whisking vigorously to emulsify. Pour onto a flat tray and chill until set. Once firm, transfer the gel to a high-speed blender and process until a silky, fluid gel forms. Transfer to a piping bag.

6. 06

   To Assemble: Demold the tarts carefully. Place one tart offset on each plate. Artfully pipe dots of the Olive Oil Gel and drizzle the Blackberry Cabernet Gastrique around the plate. Garnish with halved fresh blackberries, micro-rosemary sprigs, and a tiny sprinkle of fleur de sel over the ganache.