Dolce: Chocolate Tart with Candied Kumquats

Three cheers for winter citrus! I love the special citrus treats that make their way into produce stands this time of year, including kumquats. These tiny, sweet, and sour fruits are so fun to eat; pop a kumquat in your mouth whole and its tang will make you pucker and smile. I candied two pints of kumquats and used them to add some flare to David Lebovitz’s chocolate tart. I followed David’s unconventional recipe for delicious and flaky tart dough exactly and it worked like a charm. I took some liberties in creating the filling, adding the candied kumquats in two ways. If you like the way chocolate dances with orange, this dolce is for you. –jacque

Ingredients

{Candied Kumquats}

2 pints kumquats, sliced with seeds removed

2 cups water

1 cup granulated sugar

{French Tart Dough}

3 ounces unsalted butter, cubed

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 rounded cup flour

{Chocolate Tart Filling}

1/4 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons coffee {finally, a use for the extra bit I can never finish!}

4 ounces unsalted butter, cubed

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Start by prepping your kumquats for their candification. Slice each and remove the seeds along the way. Even though the seeds are small and edible, I like to discard them.

2. In a medium saucepan, heat water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer and add the sliced kumquats so that they are coated in liquid.

3. Cook the kumquats for 5 minutes. Remove the candied citrus from the liquid and allow to cool. Add a little of the sugary liquid, no more than 1/4 cup, back into the cooling kumquats. Reserve the rest of the liquid for later.

4. Now it’s time to get started on your tart dough. Heat the over to 410 degrees.

5. Mix butter, oil, water, sugar, and salt in an oven-safe bowl {I use Pyrex}.

6. Place the bowl in the oven for 15 minutes, until the butter is melted and the mixture bubbles {Crazy, I know! Hot butter in pastry dough?!? Trust.}

7. Carefully remove the bowl from the oven {caution: it will be hot} and quickly mix in the flour. The dough will quickly come together and form into a ball.

8. Now it’s time to work your dough into your tart pan. I like to use a tart mold with a removable bottom {works like magic}. Spread the dough evenly throughout your pan. I like to press it in nicely so that it holds its shape.

9. Before baking the tart shell, poke holes in the dough using a fork. Bake until golden brown, or around 15 minutes, with the oven turned down to 350 degrees. Let the shell cool before filling.

10. While the shell is baking, you can get started on the rich and creamy filling. Here’s where you’ll make use of the extra candy kumquat liquid. Heat the sugar syrup over medium heat in a saucepan.

11. Add sugar, butter, and coffee to the liquid and stir.

12. Add the chocolate to the mixture and allow to melt, stirring continuously so that it doesn’t burn.

13. Remove from heat and add coffee, salt, egg, and flour. Incorporate thoroughly and finish with vanilla extract.

14. Finally, with all components ready, it’s time to assemble your tart. I lined the bottom of the tart shell with candied kumquats before pouring in the chocolate filling. Bake at 350 degrees 15-17 minutes. You want it to set but you still want to see the filling wobble a little. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, I added more candied kumquats to the top for decoration and deliciousness.