Chocolate Chestnut Tart With Rum Whipped Cream

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Prepare the dough: in the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt. Pulse in the butter, egg yolk and vanilla until dough just comes together. Form into a disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour or overnight.

2. Step 2

   When you are ready to bake the crust, heat the oven to 325 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an 11-inch circle. Press into a 9-inch tart pan and trim the edges. Prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork; chill for 20 minutes or until firm. Cover the dough with a sheet of aluminum foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until pastry is dry and firm, about 15 minutes longer. Cool completely.

3. Step 3

   Make the filling: in a saucepan over medium heat, combine the chestnuts, milk, cream, sugar and a pinch of salt. Use the tip of a knife to scrape the vanilla seeds into the pot and then drop in the pod. Simmer until chestnuts are very soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool. Discard vanilla pod.

4. Step 4

   Purée the filling in a food processor until very smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape into the tart shell and smooth the top.

5. Step 5

   Make the whipped cream: whip the cream and confectioners’ sugar until thickened. Whip in the rum. Spread the whipped cream over the chestnut filling. Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate curls over the top. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.