Jeffrey Cagnes’s all-chocolate tart

Ingredients

• 135 gdouble cream
• 122 gdark chocolate
• 17 gglucose syrup (or honey)
• 17 ghoney
• 220 gwell-chilled double cream
• 160 gsoftened butter
• 70 gicing sugar
• 1/2 teaspoonsalt
• 25 gunsweetened cocoa powder
• 90 gground almonds
• 25 gegg (beat one egg and weigh out 25 g)
• 140 gplain flour, T55 or T45
• 1 largeegg
• 35 gcaster sugar
• 125 gmilk
• 65 gdouble cream
• 50 gdark chocolate
• 1 tablespoonunsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the cream

   For the whipped ganache, put 135 g cream, the glucose syrup and the honey in a small saucepan. Heat until it just reaches boiling point, then take it off the heat.

2. 2

   Make the ganache

   Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and stir to combine. Add 220 g cold cream and mix well. Cover the surface directly with cling film, with no air bubbles trapped underneath, and chill for at least 4 hours; overnight is better.

3. 3

   Mix the pastry

   For the cocoa sweet pastry, beat the softened butter and icing sugar together in a food processor. Add the salt, cocoa, ground almonds and 25 g egg, then mix well. Add the flour and mix until the dough is even.

4. 4

   Chill the pastry

   Cover the dough directly with cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll it out and line your tart tin, then chill the lined tin for at least 4 hours; overnight is better.

5. 5

   Bake the pastry

   Preheat the oven to 170°C. Bake the pastry case for 15 minutes; the time may vary from one oven to another.

6. 6

   Prepare the filling

   Lower the oven temperature to 140°C. In a mixing bowl, whisk the large egg with the caster sugar. Bring the milk and 65 g cream to the boil, then immediately pour them over the egg mixture while stirring.

7. 7

   Fill and bake

   Add the chocolate to the warm mixture, leave it for 1 minute, then stir. Pour the chocolate cream into the pastry case and bake for 20 minutes.

8. 8

   Cool the tart

   Let the tart cool to room temperature after baking, then refrigerate until the chocolate cream has set.

9. 9

   Whip the ganache

   Put the mixer bowl and whisk in the freezer for a few minutes. Once cold, add the ganache and whisk for several minutes, until it is firm and fairly compact.

10. 10

    Shape the topping

    Set a 22 cm ring on baking paper on a tray or board. Pipe the whipped ganache inside in mounds of different sizes, then freeze for 2 hours.

11. 11

    Finish the tart

    Take the ganache disc out of the freezer. Release it from the ring, using a knife warmed in hot water if needed. Carefully place it on the tart with the pointed ends facing down, then dust with cocoa.

12. 12

    Rest before serving

    Leave the finished tart at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.

What is an all-chocolate tart?

This is a French-style tart built around chocolate in several forms: cocoa in the pastry, a smooth chocolate cream in the centre and whipped chocolate ganache on top. It is inspired by pastry chef Jeffrey Cagnes and makes a more elaborate dessert than a simple chocolate tart.

The combination works because each layer brings a different texture. The pastry gives a crisp, gently nutty base, the baked filling sets softly, and the frozen-then-thawed ganache forms an airy finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 660 calories, 13g protein, 77g carbs, 37g fat.

The flour, sugars and pastry contribute most of the carbohydrates, while butter, cream and chocolate account for much of the fat. The egg, almonds, dairy and chocolate provide the protein. Serve a slice with fresh fruit, or keep the rest of the meal lighter to balance this rich dessert.

Why the ganache needs time

Warm cream poured over chopped chocolate helps it melt evenly into a smooth base. Adding the cold cream afterwards brings the temperature down and gives the mixture the foundation it needs for whipping.

Chilling for at least 4 hours is important, while an overnight rest gives the mixture more time to become thoroughly cold. Keep cling film in direct contact with the surface to limit an air-exposed layer forming.

Getting the pastry right

Butter and icing sugar are mixed first, then the cocoa, almonds and measured egg are incorporated before the flour. Mixing the flour only until the dough comes together helps avoid working it more than needed.

Chill the dough before rolling, then chill the lined tin again for at least 4 hours. This staged resting makes the pastry easier to handle and helps it hold its shape as it bakes.

Look for a set filling

The chocolate cream is baked at 140°C for 20 minutes after the pastry has had its initial bake at 170°C. The lower temperature gives the egg-based filling a gentler bake.

The recipe's clearest cue is after cooling: refrigerate the tart until the cream has set before adding the ganache disc. Allow for differences between ovens during the pastry bake, as the method notes that timing can vary.

Whipping and shaping the topping

A cold bowl and whisk help the chilled ganache whip to a firm, compact texture. Whisk for several minutes and stop when it holds its shape rather than continuing once it is firm.

Pipe mounds of different sizes inside the 22 cm ring to form the decorative disc. Freezing it for 2 hours makes it easier to release from the ring and transfer carefully onto the tart.

Plan the timing

Although the stated total time is 95 minutes, the recipe also requires several long chilling stages: at least 4 hours for the ganache, 1 hour for the dough, and at least 4 hours for the lined pastry case. The ganache disc then needs 2 hours in the freezer, followed by cooling and setting time for the tart.

For a more manageable schedule, prepare the ganache and pastry the day before. You can bake and fill the tart later, then finish the topping once the cream has set.

Serving the tart

A small slice is rich, so serve it after a lighter meal or alongside fresh berries for a bright contrast. The cocoa finish keeps the presentation simple and lets the layered chocolate remain the focus.

Give the tart about 10 minutes at room temperature before serving, as directed. This brief rest takes the edge off the chill without losing the shape of the topping.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chop the chocolate before making the ganache so the hot cream can melt it evenly.
• Measure 25 g of beaten egg for the pastry rather than using the whole egg listed for that step.
• Use cold cream for the ganache addition and chill the mixture thoroughly before whipping.
• Chill the lined pastry case for at least 4 hours, or overnight if you are preparing ahead.
• Warm the knife in hot water to help release the frozen ganache disc from its ring.
• Let the finished tart stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes before cutting.

Variations

• Use honey: Replace the glucose syrup with honey, as allowed in the recipe.
• Choose darker chocolate: Use a more intense dark chocolate for a less sweet-tasting finish.
• Add berries: Serve fresh raspberries or strawberries alongside each slice.
• Change the finish: Dust the topping with cocoa just before serving for a fresh, even coating.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the long chill: The ganache may not whip firmly; chill it for at least 4 hours.
• Overworking the pastry: It can become harder to handle; mix the flour only until the dough is even.
• Whipping warm ganache: It may stay loose; make sure the mixture and bowl are cold before whipping.
• Filling before the pastry is baked: Bake the pastry case for 15 minutes at 170°C first.
• Adding the topping too soon: The filling needs to set in the refrigerator before the ganache disc goes on.
• Forgetting the resting time: The topping may be very firm straight from the freezer; leave the finished tart out for about 10 minutes.

How to store

Keep the tart covered in the refrigerator and eat within 2–3 days. Serve chilled after letting it stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes; avoid reheating, which can soften the ganache and filling.

Frequently asked questions