Dark Chocolate Orange Christmas Tart
- Cook Time: 4 hours 40 minutes (includes chilling time)
- Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 250g Chocolate digestive biscuits or Oreo cookies
- 100g Unsalted butter, melted
- 300g High-quality dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa), finely chopped
- 300ml Heavy cream (double cream)
- 50g Unsalted butter, room temperature
- Zest of 2 large organic oranges
- 1 teaspoon Orange extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- Candied orange slices and fresh mint or holly leaves for decoration
Instructions
- Place the biscuits in a food processor and pulse until they become fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and pulse again until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart tin with a removable base. Use the back of a spoon to ensure even thickness.
- Place the tart tin in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This allows the butter to solidify, creating a sturdy crust that won’t crumble when sliced later.
- In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream and half of the orange zest to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Do not let it reach a rolling boil. As soon as you see bubbles at the edges, remove the pan from the heat.
- Place the chopped dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. This allows the chocolate to melt evenly without creating air bubbles.
- Gently whisk the chocolate and cream together starting from the center and moving outwards. Add the room temperature butter, orange extract, the remaining zest, and a pinch of salt. Continue whisking until the mixture is glossy and completely smooth.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the chilled crust. Smooth the top with a spatula if necessary. Place the tart in the refrigerator and let it set for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, until firm.
- Before serving, carefully remove the tart from the tin. Arrange candied orange slices on top and add a few sprigs of mint or festive holly leaves for a Christmas touch.