Chocolate Tart with Mahlab

Name: Chocolate Tart with Mahlab
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Cuisine: Israel
Ingredients: 250 g/9 oz/scant 2 cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting; 85 g/3 oz/generous ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 190 g/6¾ oz/scant 1 cup caster or granulated sugar; 190 g/6¾ oz/scant 1 cup caster or granulated sugar; 200 g/7 oz/generous ¾ cup (1¾ sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes; 1 large egg; 1 tbsp cold water; 1½ tsp ground mahlab; 1 single espresso or 40ml/1½ fl oz freshly made coffee, warm; 1 single espresso or 40ml/1½ fl oz freshly made coffee, warm; 300 g/10½ oz/1¾ cups dark chocolate, broken into pieces; 4 large eggs; 50 g/1¾ oz/4 cup light soft brown sugar; 120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup double cream

Preparation info

Serves:
8

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
1 hr 55

Appears in

Babka, Boulou, & Blintzes

By Michael Leventhal

Published 2021

About

The smell of mahlab is something I remember from childhood at my maternal grandparents. Usually used in baked goods, I love using it in sweet desserts as well because of its marzipan-like flavour. Try it in crème brûlée instead of vanilla, or in this case with chocolate, for a perfect flavour combination.

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry

250 g/9 oz/scant 2 cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting

Asia
Israel
Pie
Vegetarian
Jewish

Method

For the pastry, place the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the cubes of butter and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and cold water and pulse until the dough comes together. Tip the dough out onto the work surface and flatten into a disc, then wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.