Chocolate Lavender Tarts by chef claie smyth

Chocolate Lavender Tarts

Serves: 15
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 14 minutes

---

Ingredients

For the Shortcrust Pastry:

• 150g icing sugar
• 90g egg yolks
• 375g plain flour
• 188g unsalted butter
• 5g sea saltMICHELIN Guide+3T Australia+3MICHELIN Guide+3

For the Chocolate Filling:

• 108g Udzungwa 70% dark chocolate
• 125g double cream
• 1g dried lavender
• 2 whole eggs
• 52g pasteurised egg yolks
• 50g caster sugarT AustraliaMICHELIN Guide+3MICHELIN Guide+3T Australia+3

---

Method

Preparing the Shortcrust Pastry:

1. In a bowl, mix the butter, flour, and sea salt until the mixture resembles a crumbly texture.
2. In a separate bowl, cream the egg yolks and icing sugar together using a hand blender.
3. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and mix until it forms a dough.
4. Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out to a thickness of 5mm.
5. Cut out 6cm diameter discs from the rolled dough.
6. Using round moulds measuring 5cm in diameter and 2cm in height, position one dough disc between two moulds and press down gently. Trim any excess dough with a small knife.
7. Bake the pastry shells at 160°C (320°F) for 6 minutes.

Preparing the Chocolate Filling:

1. Break the dark chocolate into small pieces and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the double cream to 80°C (176°F), add the dried lavender, and let it infuse for 4 minutes.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the cream through a sieve into a bowl to remove the lavender.
4. Add the chopped chocolate to the infused cream and mix until a smooth ganache forms. Keep this at room temperature.
5. In another bowl, whisk the whole eggs, pasteurised egg yolks, and caster sugar together using an electric whisk until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, achieving a sabayon consistency.
6. Gently fold the ganache into the egg mixture using a spatula until it forms a light brown mousse. Transfer this mixture into a piping bag.

Assembling and Baking the Tarts:

1. Pipe the chocolate filling into each pre-baked tart shell, filling them up to the rim.
2. Bake the filled tarts at 180°C (356°F) for 4 minutes. The tarts should have a slight wobble in the center. If they appear too liquid, bake for an additional 30 seconds.
3. Remove the tarts from the oven and allow them to rest for a few minutes.

Serving Suggestion:
These tarts are best enjoyed warm, a few minutes after baking, when the centers are still slightly soft.

---

Visual Inspiration:

For a visual guide and further insights into the preparation of this dish, you can refer to the original recipe shared by Clare Smyth on the MICHELIN Guide website.

---

Enjoy recreating this exquisite dessert that embodies the elegance and precision of Clare Smyth’s culinary artistry.