-
1
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven with a baking stone on it, if you have one.
-
2
Preheat the oven to 350.
-
3
Roll and press the dough to form the tart shell, as detailed in the box on page 403.
-
4
Put the shell in the refrigerator to chill.
-
5
Put the 5 ounces of chocolate chunks in a bowl, and set over a pot of very hot water (barely simmering).
-
6
Stir as the chocolate begins to melt, enabling it to become molten at the lowest temperature.
-
7
When completely smooth, pour the chocolate into the tart shell, and spread it to cover the dough bottom completely.
-
8
Put the hazelnuts in the food processor, and pulse to chop them into small bitsdont turn them into a powder or paste.
-
9
Empty the nuts into a bowl, and wipe out the food processor (you dont have to wash it).
-
10
To prepare the orange zest for the filling, rinse and dry the orange, and remove only the outer, colored zest in strips, about 2 inches long, with a vegetable peeler.
-
11
Stack up a few strips at a time and slice them lengthwise into very thin slivers with a sharp paring knife.
-
12
Then cut the slivers crosswise into tiny bits, like glitter or small confetti; you should have about 2 tablespoons.
-
13
Now youll blend the main filling in the processor, adding the ingredients separately; frequently scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is processed evenly.
-
14
First blend the sugar and butter, processing about 30 seconds, until smooth.
-
15
With the machine running, drop in the eggs and process for a minute or more, until smooth and slightly thickened (be sure to scrape the sides).
-
16
Drop in the flour and blend until smooth; scrape the bowl.
-
17
With the machine off, drop in the chopped orange peel, chocolate, and hazelnuts, and pulse for only a second or two to incorporate.
-
18
Finally, whiz in the orange liqueur for just a second.
-
19
Take the processor bowl off the base, and scrape the filling from the sides and blade.
-
20
Stir one last time, and pour it into the tart shell.
-
21
Smooth the surface with a spatula to form an even layer.
-
22
Set the tart mold on the hot baking stone, if you have one, or on the middle oven rack.
-
23
Bake for 25 minutes or so, and rotate the mold for even baking.
-
24
As the filling sets, it will start to crack around the edges (when it starts to crack in the center, it is done).
-
25
Bake 35 to 40 minutes total, until the filling is puffed, and firm in the center, and a cake tester comes out clean.
-
26
The tart crust should be nicely browned as well.
-
27
Set the baked tart on a wire rack to cool.
-
28
If using a tart ring with a removable bottom, remove the ring; slide the tart off the round mold bottom onto a platter if you want.
-
29
Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream, if desired.
-
30
Into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, drop the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
-
31
Process for a few seconds, to mix the dry ingredients.
-
32
Cut the butter into 1/2-inch pieces, drop them onto the flour, and pulse the machine ten or twelve times, in short bursts, 20 to 30 seconds in all.
-
33
The mixture should be crumbly, with only a few larger bits of butter visible.
-
34
Drop the egg yolks into the processor and pulse in bursts, just until the dough starts to clump together in bigger crumbsit wont form a single mass.
-
35
Scrape out the wet crumbs, press them together, and knead just for a few seconds, to form a smooth, tight dough.
-
36
Flatten it into a disk, wrap well in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 hours or up to a day before using.
-
37
Freeze the dough for longer keeping.
-
38
Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes or so before rolling.
-
39
Thaw frozen dough completely, preferably in the refrigerator, before using.
-
40
For either of the tart recipes hereor anytime you use this doughfollow these basic procedures to line a tart mold, turning the dough into a thin shell.
-
41
I use a standard 9-inch metal tart mold with a fluted ring and removable round bottom, but this dough can line any 9-inch pan.
-
42
Let the chilled dough soften briefly, but dont let it get too warm.
-
43
Put the disk of dough in between two pieces of wax paper or parchment (about 1-foot squares) and roll it out to an 11-inch circle: roll from the center, in all directions, trying to stretch the dough evenly.
-
44
With 12-inch-wide paper, roll to a circle that comes right to the edge.
-
45
Chill the dough circle in the refrigerator after rolling, inside the paperthis always helps.
-
46
Peel the top paper off the dough, and center it over the tart mold.
-
47
Peel off the other paper sheet; if the paper doesnt come off easily, chill again, then remove.
-
48
Press the dough gently down into the mold so it covers the bottom and comes up the sides.
-
49
If the dough is cooperative, it may line the shell perfectly, and all you will have to do is even out the sides.
-
50
But if it breaks into pieces or is uneven, you can press it into shape with your fingers.
-
51
Here are some tips that will help you:
-
52
Keep the dough cold: put it in the refrigerator whenever you have trouble.
-
53
Moisten your fingers lightly to press and push the dough without its sticking to you (but dont drip water in the shell).
-
54
Move dough from thick spots to thin spots, until the bottom is evenly thick all over.
-
55
To shape the sides, press the dough against the fluted rim with your index finger to form an evenly thick wall all the way around.
-
56
Remove any dough thats higher than the rim by flicking it against the sharp rim; put these bits back in the mold.
-
57
When the shell is finished, chill it in the refrigerator before filling.
