For years, we have seen chocolate become infused with hot stuff- chilis, chipotle, and wasabi. This,  for the chocolate purists, may be considered a small crime, but in our world of fusion cuisine just happens to go with the flow of traffic.

This blog began as a request for a chocolate cream pie, but since I couldn’t imagine anything better than Susan Reid’s recipe on our website, I figured my time would be better spent on a new creation.

The inspiration for the ginger came when I pulled the 9″ x 9″ square tart pan from the rack and imagined other square-shaped dishes- the kind you see in Asian restaurants wearing sushi, rice noodles and pickled GINGER.

What a great way to add fire to plain chocolate and such a great pair of flavors for an exquisite dessert! All jazzed up with a plan, I grabbed 3 tablespoons of soft diced ginger and began heating it with 1 cup of heavy cream, 1/2 cup of milk and 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar just to a simmer, then I removed it from the heat for steeping.

But this soon-to-be filling would need a crust cradle!  What to do?  Freak out and run frantically to and fro challenging myself to come up with a last minute gluten free pastry recipe?

Nah, no need to. It’s already there- on the website.

Gluten-free pie crust. Make one, cause you’re eventually gonna need it!

And after you do, and it gets all chilly in the fridge, roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick.

Give the pie dough a turn every few rolls to keep it even and dust it with flour when needed. You’ll soon find out why the sheet of parchment paper is a key tool in this process.

Notice the marbling of the butter which will give the crust its wonderful tender, flaky texture.

Once you have it rolled it out, you can lift the crust up gently with the paper,

place it carefully over the tart pan

and peel the paper back from the dough until it is completely removed.

Push the dough gently into the pan, pressing it into the corners and along the edges.

You can either use your rolling pin to press the dough overhang away from the edge of the pan, or just press it off with your hands. Poke holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork or docking tool.

I threw the unbaked tart shell in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking because the colder you keep the dough throughout the process, the better the texture of the crust.

Bake the tart shell at 350°F for about 25 minutes or until it begins to turn

a beautiful, light golden-brown and set it aside to cool completely on a rack.

That crust is looking awfully lonely with nothing to hold.  For the love of chocolate, let’s get busy!

Remember that warm, steeping cream and milk on the stove?

After the long rest while you made, chilled and rolled the tart crust, they now have the perfect spike of ginger. Place the pot back on the stove, bring the liquid to a simmer and remove it from the heat.

In order to avoid scrambling your 5 egg yolks when combining them with the hot liquid, introduce about a cup of the cream mixture by drizzling it into the eggs while whisking.

This will bring the yolks up in temperature, making them more tolerant to a larger dose of the hot cream.

Add the remainder of the cream to the yolks while stirring briskly until they are well-combined.

Return the mixture to the pot, place it over medium heat and constantly stir it slowly, OR you’ll scramble your eggs and end up with a chocolate ginger quiche!

Within just a few minutes, the custard will thicken and be able to coat the back of a spoon. At this point, turn off the heat and

strain the mixture over 9 ounces of bittersweet chocolate and allow to sit for just a minute or two to heat the chocolate.

If you stir right away, the custard will begin cooling and may not hold enough heat for thorough melting.

Add 3 tablespoons of butter, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of chocolate extract.

Immediately pour the custard filling into the cooled tart shell and spread it out evenly. Only have a 9″ round tart pan? That’s okay! Don’t let it stop you from making it- you’ll just have some dough and filling left over. The filling will set up within an hour at room temperature or sooner if refrigerated, though it is best served at room temperature.

Dress the edges with 1/4 cup mini diced ginger or chopped ginger slices and serve.

This dessert stands well alone, sophisticated and dignified, but if you really want to indulge- just a bit more- there is a wonderful winter fruit that you could NEVER mis-fit here. Try a little caramelized or poached pear with this decadent tart and you’ll have a harmonious trio of flavors that leaves YOU singing!

Please read, bake and review our recipe for Gluten-Free Spiced Chocolate Tart.

Print just the recipe.