Reverse chocolate cream crumble tart

If you're looking for a luxurious and totally decadent dessert, you can’t beat Julie Le Clerc's chocolate cream crumble tart, showcasing Valrhona Manjari chocolate fèves, Valrhona cocoa powder and Valrhona dark crunchy pearls for the ultimate in chocolate intensity and finish. This tart can be made ahead of time and whipped out of the refrigerator to much acclaim.

Serves 10 

Chocolate crumble:
70g cold unsalted butter, cubed
70g soft brown sugar
¼ tsp Sal de Añana spring salt
100g Girolomoni ‘00’ flour
2 Tbsp Valrhona cocoa powder

Chocolate cream:
2 large free-range eggs
150ml cream
200ml full fat milk
250g Valrhona Manjari chocolate feves

To serve:
Valrhona dark crunchy pearls

For the crumble, preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a 22cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

In a large bowl, combine all the crumble ingredients and then use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the texture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the crumble evenly into the base of the tin and press down lightly. Bake for 15-20 minutes until pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

For the chocolate cream, crack the eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk to loosen.

Put the cream and milk in a medium-sized pot and bring just to the boil then pour immediately onto the beaten eggs while whisking continuously (this must be done when the liquid is boiling so it partially cooks the eggs). While the mixture is still hot, add the chocolate to melt and stir gently until smooth.

Pour on top of the crumble base and chill overnight until set. Remove from the tin and transfer to a serving plate. Decorate the top with a sprinkling of chocolate pearls.

Recipe by Julie Le Clerc