Filled with a whipped, rich chocolate ganache and wrapped in a chocolate crust, Husk Savannah's Chocolate Silk Tart is topped with fresh strawberries and a strawberry jelly, then garnished with edible flowers from Billy’s Botanicals all complemented by a house-made strawberry sherbet.

Ingredients 

Chocolate Silk Filling (yield 1 11” Tart) 

  • About 2 bars bittersweet chocolate (66%) 
  • 4 eggs
  • ¾ cup sugar 
  • ¾ cup butter, softened 
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tsp vanilla 

Directions 

  1. Place a pot of water on the stove to simmer. Place the chocolate in a metal bowl over the hot water. Stir until melted. Set aside.
  2. Whisk together the eggs and sugar and place over the hot water. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches 165°F. Remove from heat and set aside. Stir the melted chocolate into the eggs. Let cool for 15 minutes. 
  3. While the other ingredients are cooling, cream the butter and salt until it is fluffy. Slowly pour the egg and chocolate mixture into the butter while mixing on the lowest speed. Scrape down the bowl.
  4. Mix on medium speed until it becomes lighter in color. This should take 5 to 10 minutes.
  5. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream and vanilla to soft peaks. When you pull the whip out of the cream and turn it upside down, peaks will form, but will melt back into the cream after a moment.  
  6. Fold the whipped cream into the butter, chocolate, and egg base. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  7. Fill the tart shell while it is still warm. Use an offset spatula to smooth the filling.

Recipe Note

It is best to fill the tart shell while it is still warm, so you can make the filling in advance or make it while the tart shell is chilling and baking.

Ingredients

Chocolate Tart Dough (yield 1 11” Tart) 

  • 1/3 cup butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp corn syrup
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 ½ cups AP flour
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • ¼ tsp salt 

Directions

  1. In a stand mixer, on low speed with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer on low, mix the soft butter, powdered sugar, and corn syrup until just mixed together. Do not cream. 
  2. Add the egg yolk and egg. Mix on low until the butter is broken up into the eggs; the eggs will not fully mix in. 
  3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt into the bowl. Mix on low until the dough comes together and there are no more large butter chunks. 
  4. Shape the dough into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 
  5. Cut a circle out of parchment paper to fit inside an 11” tart pan. Grease the pan with pan spray and line it with the parchment circle. 
  6. On a floured surface, roll out the dough until it is 1-2 inches wider in diameter than the tart pan. Roll the dough up onto the rolling pin and then unroll it over the tart pan. Use your hands to press the dough gently into the corners and sides of the pan. Use a paring knife to trim any excess dough so that it is flush with the pan. Use a fork to prick the dough several times.
  7. Chill for another 30 minutes or overnight if making ahead. 
  8. To bake the crust, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. I use rice, but you can also use dry beans or salt. Bake the shell for 15 minutes with the weights. Remove the weights by gathering the parchment paper and lifting it straight up. Be sure to place the weights in a heat safe bowl or pan to cool, as they will be hot. Return the shell to the oven for another 10 minutes. 
  9. Cool for 10 minutes before filling. It is best to fill the shell while it is still warm. 
  10. Once the tart is filled, chill for 1 hour to set. 

Ingredients

Whipped Milk Chocolate Ganache

  • 1 ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
  • About 2 bars of milk chocolate 
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ¼ tsp salt 

Directions

  1. Make the ganache a day ahead so that it can cool completely before whipping.
  2. Break the milk chocolate bars into pieces and place in a heat-safe bowl with the vanilla and salt. 
  3. In a medium-sized pot, heat the heavy whipping cream until it begins to boil around the edges. 
  4. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, vanilla, and salt. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir together to melt the chocolate. Start in the middle of the bowl and work your way out as the chocolate melts. Once the ganache is smooth, strain and place in your refrigerator overnight to chill. 
  5. The next day, whip the ganache just until peaks begin to form. Do not overwhip it or the ganache will break. Use immediately.
  6. There are two ways you can decorate the tart. I use a petal piping tip and a cake turner to create a large spiral of ganache on the top of the tart. Start piping in the center and apply even pressure to the bag as you turn the cake turner. Very slowly pull the piping bag out as you work. Each layer of ganache should be right up against the previous layer. This is a slow process, but it creates a dramatic look, especially once the tart is cut. Another, much easier option, is to simply use an offset spatula to spread the ganache over the tart. This creates a more rustic look. 
  7. Chill the tart for 30 minutes.
  8. Use a hot, clean knife to cut the tart into 12 even pieces. The best way to do this is to dip the knife in a pitcher of hot water and wipe it with a towel between each cut. 
  9. Serve the tart with strawberry ice cream and thinly sliced fresh strawberries.


Recipe courtesy of pastry chef Rebecca Elsishans of Husk Savannah