Venetian Chocolate Nut Tart
by: Chef Ben Davis
Modes
Ingredients
Tart Dough
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted after measuring
3/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon potato starch
1 pinch fine salt
1/2 cup sugar
14 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
grated zest of 1 lemon
grated zest of 1 orange
Filling
2 sticks plus 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
2/3 cup blanched almonds
1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup minus 1 Tablespoon pastry flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
Make the Tart Dough
Whisk together the flour, potato starch, and salt in a bowl.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the sugar and butter until pale and creamy. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, and orange zest and mix to combine.
Add the flour mixture and mix just until the dough comes together and is soft and consistent. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Form the Tart Shell
Place the chilled dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and roll into a circle about 10 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick.
Remove 1 sheet of plastic wrap and place the dough into the tart mold. Gently press the dough into the mold, then remove the remaining plastic wrap.
Refrigerate the tart shell while preparing the filling.
Make the Filling
Preheat the oven on Convection Mode to 375°F.
Whisk the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
Grind the almonds and cocoa powder until very fine. Add the almond mixture and lemon zest to the butter mixture and stir to combine.
Sift the pastry flour and baking powder over the filling and gently fold with a spatula until well blended.
Assemble the Tart
Spread the filling evenly over the bottom of the tart shell.
Cut the remaining tart dough into strips and arrange them over the filling in a diamond lattice pattern. Gently press the ends of the strips into the tart shell.
Bake
Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Cool and Serve
Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing the tart from the mold. Allow to cool completely before serving.