Lavender Chocolate Tart

Lavender isn’t one of the traditional herbs found in your cabinet, but it is growing in popularity. It is often found in herbal teas, but is used here to add a unique mint-like flavor to this lavender chocolate ganache. This tart is a simple, elegant dessert perfect for spring.

I like to make these as mini tarts, but it can just as easily be a full size tart.

Tart Crust

2 cups all purpose flour
½ cup sugar
Pinch salt
5 ounces chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg
2 egg yolks (lightly beaten)
1 tbsp milk (opt)

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Add butter and mix on low speed until the mix starts to resemble small pebbles. Add the egg and yolks and continue to mix until the dough comes together as a ball. If the dough is too dry, add up to a tablespoon of milk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 400°F and remove the dough from the refrigerator. Roll your dough out on a well floured surface to about ¼ inch thick. If you are making a single, 9-inch tart, try to keep your dough as circular as possible and make sure that it is large enough to fit your tart shell. Lift the dough and place it in the tart shell, using your fingers to press the dough into the corners. Use a butter knife to trim the dough to match the edge of the tart shell. Use a fork to score the bottom of the shell to prevent bubbles from forming during baking. Bake about 20 minutes, until golden brown.

If you are making individual tarts, roll your dough out as you would for the 9-inch tart. Use a circular cookie cutter slightly larger than your tart shells to cut your dough. When pressing the dough into the tart shells, make sure to press the dough all the way into the corners, or the tarts will not sit flat when removed from the shells. Use a fork to score the bottom of the tarts and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.

Let cool and remove from the tart shells. Fill with Lavender Chocolate Ganache.

Lavender Chocolate Ganache

1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh or dried lavender flowers
10 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

Bring the cream, sugar and lavender to a simmer over medium heat, stirring regularly to prevent the sugar from burning on the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the chocolate and place in a medium sized bowl.

Return the lavender cream to the heat and bring back to a simmer. Pour through a strainer (to remove the lavender flowers) over the chocolate. Stir the cream into the chocolate with a whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Spoon or pour the Lavender Chocolate ganache into the prepared tart shells and refrigerate until ganache is firm.

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