Milk Chocolate Crémeux & Raspberry Tart

Before starting this Milk Chocolate Crémeux & Raspberry Tart recipe, make sure you have organised the necessary ingredients for the almond rich shortcrust pastry.

For the rich shortcrust pastry: In the food mixer bowl, place the flour.

Add the almond powder...

... icing sugar...

.. and the soft butter cut into chunks (remove from the fridge 30 minutes before).

Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise...

... and scrape the seeds out. Add the seeds to the stand mixer recipient.

Add the egg yolks and a pinch of salt or fleur de sel.

Knead on low speed with the flat beater to avoid flour spatter.

Stop the mixer when the ingredients have a grainy consistency. At this stage, the pastry is not homogeneous enough, with whole bits of butter.

Detach the butter on the flat beater.

Resume mixing at medium speed...

... until the ingredients form a block.

Scrape the sides of the bowl and gather the ingredients into a homogeneous ball.

Transfer the dough on a polyethylene sheet...

... and flatten it with a dough scraper to create a rectangle shape.

Fold the polyethylene sheet over the pastry.

Roll out the pastry a little...

... and let set in the fridge before rolling out to the right thickness.

For the milk chocolate crémeux: (make the day before) Organise all the necessary ingredients.

In a saucepan, pour the whipping cream, the whole milk...

... and glucose syrup.

Bring to a boil.

Combine the egg yolks with a whisk.

... pour a small amount in the egg yolks and whisk.

Add the egg yolk preparation to the boiling milk and cream...

... and cook 'à la nappe' (i.e. until the consistency is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon). The temperature shouldn't exceed 80 or 85°C.

When cooked, pour the preparation over the milk chocolate couverture, passing it through a chinois or fine sieve.

Combine gently with a silicone spatula.

Pour the chocolate crémeux in a high, narrow recipient (jug with pouring spout).

Process with a hand blender until smooth and homogeneous.

Transfer into a recipient...

... and place cling film on the surface of the cream. Reserve in the fridge overnight.

For the rich shortcrust pastry base: Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a thickness of 4mm.

Prick with a roller docker to ensure the pastry doesn't puff up excessively while baking.

Using a stainless steel square ring (16 x 16cm)...

... cut two squares of pastry. This operation should be done while the pastry is soft and tender.

You can also create other shapes...

... for example rectangle tartlets...

... cut in two identical parts to create easy-to-share portions.

Arrange the pastry shapes on a non-stick liner sheet, placed on a Silichef perforated baking sheet.

Bake at 160/170°C (gas 3) for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden.

Drizzle some Mycryo cocoa butter over the pastry, which will make it resistant to moisture. Leave to cool.

Assembling the tartlets: Scoop the chocolate crémeux into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle (diameter 6mm).

Make a decorating bag with a sheet of greaseproof paper.

Place the pastry biscuits on a serving plate. Arrange the tartlets on the plate.

Repeat the operation for the square...

... and arrange it on the plate.

For the finish (tartlets): Pipe a lace of chocolate crémeux on the biscuit.

Add a thin chocolate strip (made from chocolate which has been tempered and crystallised, then spread and cut into rectangles).

Press down to create a flat surface.

... to create a second level.

Pipe some raspberry coulis on the surface, creating drops of different sizes.

Pipe the chocolate cream, making drops with pointed ends.

Alternate with fresh raspberries.

Finish by piping a couple of chocolate drops. Of course, the pattern used here is simply an example. The possibilities are endless!

Fill each raspberry with some raspberry coulis.

Sprinkle the surface with gold or silver flakes.

For the finish (square tart): Pipe a lace of chocolate crémeux.

Add a thin chocolate strip (made from chocolate which has been tempered and crystallised, then spread and cut into rectangles).

Arrange fresh raspberries on the biscuit. If necessary, pipe a small drop of chocolate preparation on the biscuit to make the raspberries stick.

Fill each raspberry with some raspberry coulis.

Pipe the chocolate cream over the whole surface of the biscuit, making drops with pointed ends.

Cut a few raspberries in half and arrange them on top of the chocolate drops.

Again, this is an example and you can create the pattern of your choice.

Sprinkle the surface with gold flakes.
Important: You can make this dessert ahead, 2 or 3 hours max before serving. Otherwise the chocolate drops might loose their glossy effect due to oxidation in the fridge.