Chocolate Cardamom Cream Tart with Pistachio-Sesame Brittle Recipe

Chocolate Cardamom Tart with Pistachio Sesame Brittle — Photo: Anna Stockwell

Active Time:

1 hr 45 mins

Total Time:

5 hrs 15 mins

Servings:

Cookbook author and food stylist Samantha Seneviratne created this fancier cousin to a chocolate cream pie. Fragrant with cardamom, her tart's filling gets complex depth from a combination of bittersweet and milk chocolate, and plenty of richness from heavy cream. A cloud of whipped cream lightens up the dessert, while the crunchy nut brittle topping provides a contrast in texture.

Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest way to make pastry dough?

Using a food processor makes easy work of putting together the pastry dough for this tart. To begin, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt. Then, add in one stick of cold butter, cut into pieces — be sure to leave some chunks of butter in the dough, as they'll help create a flaky texture. Next, add the ice water (to keep the butter cold); start with three tablespoons and add a fourth only if necessary to make the dough adhere together. Once it's done, turn the dough out onto plastic wrap and use the wrap to shape it into a disc. Refrigerate for at least an hour or up to three days.

How is the chocolate cream filling made?

First, steep milk with green cardamom pods — smashed with a mortar and pestle — on the stove to infuse it with flavor. As it steeps, prepare the remaining ingredients for the custard. Mix egg yolks in a bowl with cornstarch and sugar, whisking it all together, and place the chopped bittersweet and milk chocolate in another bowl, with a sieve on top.

Once the milk is done steeping, add heavy cream and then whisk in the yolk mixture, taking care not to leave any behind. Bring everything to a gentle simmer, so you thicken the mixture and cook out the cornstarch — make sure it doesn't get too hot, or else you'll risk scrambling the egg yolks. Whisk out any lumps that occur, and once the custard is ready, take it off the heat and pour it through the sieve right onto the chocolate. Whisk it in so the chocolate melts and incorporates, and voilà, you've got pudding! A dash of vanilla extract rounds it all out.

Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Making the pistachio-sesame brittle that tops this dessert may seem like a challenge, but the process is fairly simple and straightforward. You start by making a caramel using water and sugar — the key, Seneviratne says, is to "just let it do its thing." Take care not to stir it too early, since it could seize up. Make sure you keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn, either.

Add in the pistachios, sesame seeds, and salt, and stir them all in so they're coated. Then, pour the caramel mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat (or greased sheet of parchment paper). Spread it out and allow it to harden and cool completely.

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Ingredients

Pastry

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (164 grams)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (12 grams)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Filling

6 cardamom pods, smashed
1 cup whole milk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Brittle

1/3 cup granulated sugar (74 grams)
1/2 cup unsalted roasted pistachios (3 ounces)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (10 grams)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

To serve

1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds (optional)

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt; pulse a few times to blend. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons water and pulse just until the mixture is moistened and holds together when gently squeezed. Add up to 1 more tablespoon water if necessary but be careful not to make the dough too wet. Tip the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Use the edges of the plastic wrap to lift and press the dough into a cohesive piece. Wrap with plastic and shape into a flat rectangle. Chill for at least 1 hour (and up to 3 days).
In a small pot, combine the milk and cardamom; bring to a simmer over medium-high. Turn the heat off and let stand, covered, for at least 30 minutes (or up to an hour).
Place the bittersweet and milk chocolate in a medium bowl and place a fine-mesh sieve on top. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar.
Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the pot of milk. Whisk in the cream, egg yolks, butter, and salt until thoroughly blended. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it has come to a very slow boil for 1 minute and has thickened nicely. You may have to switch between a whisk and a spatula to ensure a smooth texture. Adjust the heat as necessary to keep the mixture from scalding or overheating. Immediately pour the custard through the sieve over the chocolate, using a rubber spatula to push the custard through the sieve. Discard the solids in the sieve. Whisk the hot custard into the chocolate until the custard is smooth. Top with a piece of plastic wrap and let cool.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375°F. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Run a rolling pin over the top of the tart pan to trim the edges neatly. Freeze for 10 minutes.
Set the chilled tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Line the dough with parchment and fill with pie weights; bake until the crust has set, about 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and continue to bake until the crust has browned nicely, 10 to 12 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Once the tart shell has cooled, pour in the chocolate custard and smooth top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
While the tart chills, prepare the brittle: Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment. Place 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Add the granulated sugar and salt to the center of the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, carefully swirling the pan, until it is golden amber color, 6 to 8 minutes. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pistachios and sesame seeds. Tip out the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and press it into an even layer with a rubber spatula. Let cool completely, then finely chop.
To serve, whip the cream with the powdered sugar and cardamom to soft peaks. Top the tart with the cream. Sprinkle the brittle over the top. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.