Chocolate ganache tart with fresh strawberries and cream

Michael Craig

Edible flowers go a long way to making things look festive, as do fresh berries. And chocolate is a guaranteed winner. A dessert table at Christmas is always a highlight — if you have a big family gathering, you could put on all the classics: trifle, Christmas pudding, fruit salad, even pavlova if you’re that way inclined. Add a chocolate ganache tart and you’ll definitely be needing an afternoon nap.

My friend Kelly made a chocolate ganache tart for a dinner party earlier this year, and I’ve been obsessed with making different versions ever since. It’s so luscious, but quite a simple dessert. This gluten-free version will be a welcome addition to a Christmas dessert table. Thanks for the inspiration, Kelly!

Tart shell

40 g	Coconut threads
190 g	Ground almonds
¼ tsp	Salt
30 g	Coconut oil
2 Tbsp	Honey

Chocolate ganache

375 g	Dark chocolate, I used Dark Ghana (Main)
350 ml	Cream
1	Vanilla pod, seeds scraped out, or one teaspoon vanilla paste

To garnish and serve

300 ml	Cream
1	Vanilla pod, seeds scraped out, or 1 tsp vanilla paste
¼ cup	Icing sugar
1 punnet	Strawberries, chopped
1 serving	Edible flower

Directions

For the tart shell

1. Preheat oven to 175C and grease a 23cm tartpan (with a removable base).
2. In a food processor, pulse together the coconut, ground almonds and salt until finely ground.
3. Melt together the coconut oil and honey and add it to the almond mixture. Pulse until it starts clumping together.
4. Place dough onto tart pan and press down with your fingers. Ensure it is spread evenly and pinch the top to make a smooth edge.
5. Prick the dough on the bottom of the pan with a fork. (You can use baking paper and pie weights here if you wish, but it's not strictly necessary.)
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden and firm.
7. Once the shell has cooled slightly, remove from the tin and transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before filling with ganache.

For the chocolate ganache

1. Chop the chocolate well and set aside.
2. Place a small-medium heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, being careful not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl.
3. Add the cream and start to heat gently.
4. Add the chocolate and the vanilla seeds to the cream and stir well with a wooden spoon.
5. Continue to heat gently and stir, as they melt together. Remove from the pot at intervals if necessary, being careful not to split the mixture.
6. Continue stirring until the chocolate is melted and you have a glossy mixture.
7. Pour into tart shell and allow to set in the fridge, at least 1. hours, or overnight.

To garnish and serve

1. Beat together the cream, vanilla and icing sugar until softly whipped.
2. Remove tart from the fridge at least 15 minutes before serving.
3. Cover in strawberries and sprinkle over the edible flowers. Serve with cream.