Chocolate-Sesame Tarte Soleil

Chocolate-Sesame Tarte Soleil
Photo: Will Anderson
Prep Time:
1 hrs
Total Time:
3 hrs 15 mins
Yield:
8 to 10 Serves

Use a serrated knife to finely chop the chocolate: The finer it is, the easier it will be to shape the tarte. For the decorating technique, see our step-by-step guide.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out one disk of dough to a roughly 14-inch round (a scant 1/8 inch thick). Use an inverted bowl or cake pan to cut out an 11-inch round. Transfer dough round (still on parchment) to a baking sheet and refrigerate until chilled, 30 minutes. Repeat with second disk.

  2. Remove first round from refrigerator and spread with frangipane in an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate. Whisk egg with 1 teaspoon water; lightly brush border with egg wash. Place second round over filling, pressing edges to adhere. Place a small cup upside down in center of tarte (being careful not to cut through dough). Cut tarte into four equal sections, then repeat so you have eight. Cut each eighth evenly into thirds to create 24 equal sections. Working with one at a time, carefully lift a cut section, then twist three times to create a "ray." Repeat with remaining sections, making sure to twist all in the same direction. (If dough becomes too soft during twisting, freeze until workable.) Freeze tarte until solid, about 30 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees with a rack in middle. Brush tarte with egg wash and lightly sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until edges start to set and top is lightly golden, about 25 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 degrees and continue baking until tarte is golden brown and firm at center, 20 to 25 minutes more. (If it's browning too quickly, tent with foil.) Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Tarte can be stored, loosely covered, at room temperature up to 1 day.

Cook's Notes

We love making multiple batches of piecrust a few weeks before the holiday, when the kitchen is quiet. It's important to do it one recipe at a time, but there's no need to wash the food processor in between -- just be sure you remove as much of the dough as possible after each batch. Then form the dough into disks (one per crust), wrap in plastic, and freeze in resealable plastic bags for up to three months.

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