Inspired by Suzanne Goin, chef and restaurateur behind Lucques, Meyer lemon and chocolate tart.
I looked down at my watch again. Only 5 mins had passed. I could sense the unease and discomfort of people around me. Some had their elbows propped up, there was furiously scrolling phones, some were calming their distressed children. It was no fun to be stuck on a delayed airplane.
I had never flown out of the Washington Dulles airport before, but since there were no flights out of Virginia, I had to travel 2.5 hours by car to this airport just to get a direct flight home. Travel, in my memory, had always been fun. I had always associated it with fun, good food and time with my family. Now that I’m older and always traveling for work, my excitement to get on the plane has diminished.
I looked down at my phone again, silently hoping that time would go by faster. The pilot announced that due to weather delays, and schedule backup we would have to wait for another 30 mins. In frustration, I reminded myself to think of good thoughts only – “I’m glad that we’re taking precautions to be safe…”
Although there are times and seasons that don’t seem to bring anything but challenges and trials, there are also brighter days. I did make it home after 10 hours of traveling from Virginia to Texas and was warmly welcomed by the sight of my husband who came to help with my luggage and surprised me with a massive box of Korean sweet potatoes. There is nothing more beautiful than the sight of a home, my family and my favorite food.
Today, we are sharing a lemon chocolate tart recipe in hopes that this will remind you that brighter days will come. It may seem odd to pair lemon with chocolate, after all, they seem to be on the absolute opposite spectrum when it comes to flavor/texture/feel: Fresh vs. dense; sour vs. sweet; refreshing vs. indulgence…Yes contradictory in almost every way possible. The reality is, opposing flavors, provide balance and amplifies the properties of the other because it is so different. Just like challenging days makes those days that run smoother much brighter and appreciated. Despite the fact that this tart doesn’t seem to make sense at all, it has not failed to impress many skeptics. This version in particular, boasts a delicious nutty and fragrant crust that complements the lemon and chocolate magnificently. It is an absolutely gem for a party with friends or a indulgent dessert for one.
Healthy, grain-free, made from good good quality ingredients, this is a must-make recipe!
- Crust
- 2 cups almond flour
- 2 egg whites (reserve the yolks for the filling)
- 1 + ⅔ tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp sugar (or any sugar substitute)
- pinch of salt
- FILLING
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 1 tsp, finely zested lemon skin
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- 3 eggs + 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar (or any sugar substitute)
- Chocolate ganache
- ½ cup of full fat coconut milk
- ⅔ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- CRUST:In the bowl, add the almond flour, salt and sugar and mix together.
- Separate the egg whites and yolks from two eggs. Reserve the egg yolks for the filling and pour the egg whites into the dry ingredients.
- Knead well to combine together. Add additional water if to dry, 1 tsp at a time!
- Press the dough into pre-oiled pie crust tin.
- Bake your crust for 10-12 mins until warm. Set aside to cool whilst you prepare your filling. Leave the oven on for the filling!
- Filling: Add all the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix together.
- Pour into cooled crust and bake at 350F until set (at least for 15 - 20 minutes).
- Cool and fridge until slightly more set (30 mins or so) - you don’t want the layers to mix!
- Chocolate ganache: When your lemon curd is ready, measure out the chocolate chips into a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, microwave the coconut milk until quite hot.
- Pour over the chocolate chips. Let it sit for 30 seconds, then mix until velvety and smooth.
- Pour over the lemon curd and let it chill for ~ 4 hours or overnight for the ganache to set completely
LOVE,
Zoe, Mia & Raena
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