There is something almost lyrical about the combination of rich chocolate and tart raspberries, making it just right to use in an indulgent Valentine’s Day dessert. True, raspberries are not exactly at their peak right now, but when it comes to romance, allowances must be made, and giving them a quick brushing with warm raspberry jam compensates nicely for any lack of seasonal vibrance. The recipe for this sleek tart was adapted from one created by my favorite pastry chef, Françoise Payard. I spent one happy summer working in the kitchen of Payard Patisserie in New York, testing recipes for one of his books, Payard Desserts (2013, HMH). His Warm Chocolate Tart was one of my favorites from that book, and this tart is a loose adaptation. Two things: if ever there was a time to use good chocolate, it’s now (skip the Nestle’s chocolate chips), and I suggest you serve the tart at room temperature with a good vanilla ice cream or some sweetened whipped cream. Do this, and you may just fall in love.

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Makes one 9-inch tart, serving 6 to 8

Ingredients

Chocolate Tart Dough:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (28 grams) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
10 tablespoons (141 grams) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
1/3 cup (66 grams) granulated sugar
1 large (18 grams) egg yolk

Raspberry Jam Layer:

1/3 cup (62 grams) seedless raspberry jam

Chocolate Truffle Filling:

8 ounces (227 grams) bittersweet chocolate (70-72%), chopped medium-fine
1 cup (232 grams) heavy cream
1/3 cup (80 grams) whole milk
¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
1 large (50 grams) egg
1 large (18 grams) egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
¼ teaspoon fine salt

Raspberry Topping:

One 10-ounce (283 grams) containers of fresh raspberries
1/4 cup (47 grams) seedless raspberry jam
1 teaspoon Chambord liqueur or kirsch or water

Optional Garnish:

Silver leaf sheets

Instructions

Make the tart dough and shell:

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt; whisk gently to combine.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on low speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk and mix just until combined. Add the flour mixture in three additions, mixing well after each addition.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Check to make sure there are no visible lumps of butter in the dough. If there are, smear that portion of the dough onto the work surface until the lumps disappear. Shape the dough into a disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Place the dough into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and press it onto the bottom and up the sides. Run a rolling pin over the top of the pan to remove the excess dough. Prick the bottom of the tart shell all over with a fork and freeze until it is firm, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, gather up and roll the dough scraps out and, using a 1-inch heart-shaped cutter, cut out 6 hearts. Place the hearts on a small flat plate or cardboard cake round and freeze them while you bake the tart shell.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ Line the tart shell with a piece of parchment paper, letting it overhang the edges by 2 inches, and then fill it with pie weights, beans or rice. Place the pan on a baking sheet and blind bake the tart shell for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights and continue baking the shell until it is fragrant and set, about 15 to 20 minutes longer. Place the tart pan on a wire rack and allow to cool.

Place the frozen chocolate dough hearts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until set. Set them aside on a wire rack to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 300˚

Spread the jam on the shell:

Spoon the jam onto the cooled tart shell and spread it evenly over the bottom. Place the pan on a baking sheet.

Make the chocolate filling:

Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Place the cream, milk and sugar in a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat; bring to a gentle boil, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Pour about 1 cup of the mixture over the chocolate and whisk well until very smooth. Whisk in the remaining cream mixture. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and egg yolk until blended. Whisk about ½ cup of the chocolate mixture into the eggs until well blended. Gently whisk the egg mixture into the remaining chocolate mixture along with the vanilla and salt, mixing until smooth. Pour the filling over the jam layer in the tart shell and bake the tart until the center is almost set but just slightly wobbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely.

Make the topping:

Arrange the raspberries around the edge on top of the tart. Place the raspberry jam in a microwave-safe container and heat on high for about 15 seconds, until the jam has liquified. Stir in the liquid. Brush the raspberries with the jam glaze.

Garnish and serve the tart:

Cut 3 raspberries in half and brush the rounded side of 5 of the halves with the raspberry glaze. Arrange them, cut side down, on top of the tart, halfway between the edge and the center and evenly spaced. Place a chocolate heart on top of each berry, then place another heart in the center of the tart. Using tweezers or a paring knife, transfer a piece of edible silver leaf onto the chocolate heart in the center. Serve a slice of the tart at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some sweetened whipped cream.