Chocolate Hazelnut Tart Scented with Orange

Ingredients

• Sweet Hazelnut Pastry:
• 1/3 cup hazelnut pieces
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 6 pieces
• 1 large egg
• Chocolate Cream Filling:
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 1/2 cup hazelnut pieces, coarsely chopped
• Finishing:
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate melted with 1 tablespoon butter
• One 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom

Directions

1. Make the pastry first: put the hazelnuts and sugar in a food processor with the steel blade attached, then pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Take this step seriously, because larger pieces of hazelnut can cause the dough to crumble when you roll it out. Run a metal spatula around the lower inside edge of the bowl, then add the flour, salt, and baking powder. Pulse a few times to combine. Drop in the butter and pulse about 10 times, until it is worked in finely. Add the egg and keep pulsing until the dough gathers into a ball. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, taking care as you lift out the blade. Pat the dough into a disk, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill it for an hour or two, or for as long as 2 days, before you bake the tart.
2. When baking time is close, position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and set it on a floured surface. Knead it gently just until it becomes smooth and workable, then form it back into a disk. Dust the dough with flour and roll it into a 12-inch round. Fold the dough in half, move it to the tart pan, and align the fold across the center of the pan. Open the dough into the pan, then press it firmly into the base and up the sides. Trim away the overhang at the rim with a bench scraper or the dull side of a knife. Refrigerate the crust while you make the filling.
3. For the filling, stir together the cream and sugar in a large saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking now and then so the sugar dissolves. Lower the heat, add the butter, and allow it to melt. Take the saucepan off the heat and add the chocolate. Jiggle the pan gently so the chocolate is covered, then leave it for 1 minute. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the orange zest and rum. Slowly whisk in the chocolate mixture in a steady stream, using a rubber spatula to scrape the saucepan clean.
5. Pour the chocolate filling into the chilled crust, then sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts over the surface. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until the pastry is fully baked and the filling has set with a slight puff. Transfer the tart to a rack and let it cool completely.
6. Put the melted chocolate and butter mixture into a paper cone or a smooth plastic bag. Cut off the tip and drizzle the chocolate across the tart in loose, random parallel lines.
7. To serve, lift off the side of the pan and slide the tart from the metal base onto a platter. Cut into wedges. Serve with sweetened whipped cream flavored with grated orange zest, or with peeled, sliced sugared oranges alongside.
8. To store, leave the tart at room temperature on the day it is baked. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers, then let the tart come back to room temperature before serving again.