Chocolate Lemon Tart

This is the result of the tart experiment I mentioned in the post prior. Technically, it's actually a chocolate, lemon, and ginger tart, a flavor combination inspired by the most delicious chocolate bar ever (which I encountered in France). The recipe I'm putting here leaves out the ginger, though, since it was undetectable in the finished dish. Though it's frustratingly not what I had imagined, it's tasty enough that I still feel good about sharing the recipe. Until I get my ~vision~ right, I'll probably be riffing on the flavor combination in various other forms, so don't be surprised when you see them reappearing in a different guise.





Ingredients:

For the crust:
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
7 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, plus pat to grease pan
1-2 tbsp cold milk

For the ganache:
3/4 cup heavy cream
7.5 oz bittersweet chocolate
A scant tbsp sugar

For the lemon custard:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup water
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Grease a 10" tart pan with butter.
2. Combine sugar, flour, and salt in a food processor. Add butter and process in short pulses until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer to bowl, add a tablespoon of milk and combine. The dough should be crumbly, but clump if you squeeze a handful. If not, add a bit more milk until you reach the desired consistency.
3. Press into prepared pan, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to a day).
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Blind bake crust for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Transfer to rack to cool.

5. Prepare the ganache. Combine chocolate, cream, and sugar and melt together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat until completely smooth, stirring occasionally to combine completely.
6. Pour the ganache into the cooled tart shell and level with a spatula if necessary. Return to the fridge for an hour.

7. Prepare the custard. Mix sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Gradually stir in water and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.
8. Gradually stir half the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Blend this into the hot mixture in the pan. Boil and stir 1 minute.
9. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Let cool to room temperature.
10. Pour a layer of custard over the ganache and chill. Depending on taste, you may want a thin layer for less lemon flavor, or a thicker one for more. The version pictured was quite lemony.