Chocolate Frangipane Tart with Berries

, from Issue #63. November, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Chocolate Frangipane Tart with Berries

No pastry required, just the lovely moist filling from a traditional tart, all topped with rich vanilla mascarpone and juicy berries.
 

Serves: 8-10

INGREDIENTS

110 grams butter
100 grams dark chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 x #7 eggs (large)
120 grams ground almonds
¼ cup caster sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom 
2 tablespoons cocoa (I used Valrhona)
To serve
100 grams mascarpone
½ cup cream
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
1 punnet strawberries, hulled and sliced
½ punnet blueberries and raspberries

20cm loose based tart tin, greased and lined with baking paper and placed on a baking tray

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake

Cake: Put the butter, chocolate, golden syrup and vanilla in a large heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. Don’t let the base of the saucepan touch the water. Take off the heat and cool for 10 minutes. 

Whisk in the eggs to make a thick, glossy batter.

Combine the almonds, both of the sugars, cardamom and the cocoa, ensuring there are no lumps.  Add to the chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Pour into the greased tin and smooth the top.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the tart comes out with a few damp crumbs attached. Cool then remove from the tin.

To serve: Whisk the mascarpone, cream and vanilla paste together until thick. Don’t over beat or the mascarpone will split. Spread the cream over the tart and top with the sliced strawberries and berries and a dusting of icing sugar. Top with edible flowers if desired.

The tart can be made 2–3 days ahead. Keep in an airtight container and top with the mascarpone and berries on the day of serving.