Smoked Rosemary Dark Chocolate...Smoked Rosemary Dark Chocolate Tart with Olive Oil Mousse & Maldon Honeycomb

An avant-garde dessert pairing the earthy depth of smoked rosemary and 70% dark chocolate with a silky extra virgin olive oil mousse and crisp, salty honeycomb.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the pastry shell: Cream 100g of butter and 60g of powdered sugar until smooth. Add the egg yolk and mix to combine. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt. Fold gently until a dough forms. Wrap in plastic film and chill for 1 hour.

2. 02

   Roll the chilled pastry dough to a 3mm thickness. Line six 8cm tart rings, trim the edges, and freeze for 15 minutes. Bake at 170°C (340°F) for 15 minutes until crisp. Set aside to cool completely.

3. 03

   For the Smoked Rosemary Ganache: In a saucepan, heat 150ml of heavy cream with the rosemary sprigs until just simmering. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 20 minutes. If you have a smoking gun, cold-smoke the cream with applewood chips for 5 minutes. Strain the cream, reheat slightly, and pour over the chopped dark chocolate. Whisk in a circular motion to emulsify, then stir in 20g of softened butter. Pour into the baked tart shells and chill until set.

4. 04

   For the Olive Oil Mousse: Bloom the gelatin sheet in ice water for 5 minutes. Whip 100ml of heavy cream to soft peaks. In a separate bowl, whisk the crème fraîche, remaining 30g of powdered sugar, and extra virgin olive oil until smooth. Melt the squeezed gelatin in 1 tablespoon of warm water and fold quickly into the crème fraîche mixture. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Pipe the mousse into small silicone dome molds and freeze for 2 hours to set.

5. 05

   For the Maldon Honeycomb: Combine granulated sugar and honey in a saucepan. Cook without stirring until it reaches a deep amber color (150°C / 300°F). Quickly whisk in the baking soda—the mixture will foam violently. Pour immediately onto a silicone baking mat. Do not spread. Sprinkle with Maldon sea salt and let cool completely, then crack into shards.

6. 06

   To assemble: Unmold the Olive Oil Mousse domes and place one offset on top of each chocolate tart. Garnish with Maldon honeycomb shards, a tiny sprig of micro-basil or fresh rosemary, and a final, delicate drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.