Temper the chocolate for the
chocolate curls. Using a
bain-marie, gradually melt the
chocolate to 31-32C maximum.
Do this by dipping the bowl of
chocolate into the bain-marie
for 30 seconds at a time, stirring.
Prepare two 40x30cm sheets
of baking paper. Put one sheet
on a flat surface and pour the
chocolate over it in a line, 3cm
from the top and the sides.
Place the other sheet of baking
paper exactly on top and spread
the melted chocolate evenly by
sliding a PVC pipe or rolling pin
across the paper until you have
a thin layer of chocolate. Before
it sets, peel the paper sheets
away from one another so you have two thin sheets of chocolate, with a similar amount
on each. Leave the chocolate to
set slightly and then, with a
palette knife, score diagonally in
a criss-cross pattern with lines
approx. 6cm apart.
Stack the scored sheets of
chocolate on top of each other
and place another sheet of
baking paper on top.
Immediately wrap the sheets
around a small PVC pipe or
rolling pin before the chocolate
sets completely, without
applying too much pressure.
Put the rolled chocolate in the
fridge to set for at least 1 hour.
Remove the pipe or rolling
pin and carefully unwrap the
paper, revealing large chocolate
curls. Transfer to a flat tray or put
in a covered container in the
fridge until needed.
For the caramel, in a small
pan, heat the cream with a pinch of sea salt over a low
heat and set aside. In a deep,
medium pan, make a dry
caramel by melting the sugar
with the glucose, mixing it with a
spatula. Cook until it is a caramel
brown colour, making sure you
take it off the heat before it starts
to smoke. Carefully pour in the
hot cream, in three batches,
whisking it into the caramel.
Return the pan to the heat and
bring it back to a quick boil.
Remove from the heat and whisk
in the butter. Pour into a flat
container and leave to cool and
thicken for 30-40 minutes.
Pour half the caramel into the
baked tart case - click here, reserving the
rest, and spread it out. Leave to
set in the fridge for 1 hour.
Reserve the rest to decorate.
For the chocolate cream,
bring the cream and milk to the
boil in a medium pan, pour into
a bowl with the egg and whisk
to combine. Break the chocolate
into pieces in another bowl,
then pour half the cream mixture
over and stir gently until smooth.
Add the remaining cream
mixture and stir again. Pour the
chocolate cream into the tart
case over the set caramel and
return to the fridge to set for at
least a couple of hours.
To assemble, use a piping bag
with an 8mm nozzle to pipe the
reserved soft caramel over the
tart in a large spiral. Top with
the chocolate curls and dust
with a little icing sugar and
cocoa powder, if using. It is best
served on the day, but will keep
for up to two days in an airtight
container in the fridge.
Recipes and photographs taken from Bake with Benoit Blin by Benoit Blin, photographs by Sam Folan (Hardie Grant, £26).
