
A sophisticated dessert featuring a crisp cocoa shortcrust pastry filled with a zesty passion fruit curd and topped with a decadent dark chocolate ganache. This tart offers a perfect harmony of intense chocolate and vibrant tropical fruit.
To make the cocoa pastry, sift the plain flour, icing sugar, 50g of cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the cubed cold butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively, pulse these in a food processor.
Add the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of ice-cold water to the flour mixture. Mix by hand until a soft dough forms. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (up to 2 days).
Lightly grease a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin and line the base with baking parchment. Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Line the tin with the pastry, pressing it into the sides and leaving an overhang. Chill for another hour.
Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan/gas 5). Line the pastry case with parchment paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 20 minutes, then remove the beans and parchment and bake for an additional 20 minutes until crisp. Allow to cool completely before carefully trimming the excess pastry with a sharp knife.
For the passion fruit curd, blitz the pulp in a food processor briefly to loosen the seeds, then push through a sieve into a saucepan; discard the seeds. Add the leaf gelatine (soaked in cold water first), medium eggs, unsalted butter, caster sugar, and cornflour. Whisk over low heat for about 10 minutes until thickened. Do not boil or the eggs will curdle. Sieve into a bowl, cool slightly, then pour into the tart shell and chill for 30 minutes.
To prepare the ganache, place the dark chocolate, double cream, light brown sugar, and a pinch of sea salt in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until glossy and thick. Let it cool for 15 minutes, then pour it over the set curd layer. Scatter with cocoa nibs and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Before serving, dust the tart with the remaining cocoa powder. Slice and serve with a dollop of crème fraîche.
For a perfectly smooth curd, ensure you keep the heat very low and stir constantly, especially around the edges of the pan. If the pastry dough feels too crumbly, add an extra teaspoon of ice water. Trimming the pastry after baking ensures a professional, neat finish without shrinkage issues.




