This tart, served with vanilla ice cream or sweet and tangy honey grapefruit sauce, will quickly become an herbal legend.
Servings: Makes 20 servings
Ingredients
  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter , softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed, finely shredded basil leaves
  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • Confectioners' sugar
  • Spring fresh basil
  • 3 pink grapefruits, peeled and cut into segments, saving juice
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water
  • Directions
    In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low speed, add flour and egg in two parts and beat just until combined. Shape dough into a disk, wrap in waxed paper, and chill 1 to 24 hours. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Transfer to a 9-inch tart pan, press in sides and bottom, and trim any excess dough around edges. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover dough with a large piece of foil and weigh down with uncooked rice or beans. Bake 20 minutes, remove foil and beans, and bake 10 minutes longer, or until light golden brown. Cool on a rack.

    To make the filling, preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring cream, milk, and basil just to a boil. Remove pan from heat, cover, and steep 10 minutes.

    Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour cream mixture through a strainer over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Let cool 10 minutes, then whisk in egg.

    Pour chocolate into tart shell and bake 20 minutes or until filling is just beginning to set.

    Remove to a wire rack and let cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar and garnish with basil sprig.

    Meanwhile, to make the honey grapefruit sauce, chop grapefruit segments into small pieces, saving juice. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring fruit, reserved juices, and honey to a boil. Add cornstarch mixture and boil 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl, and let cool to room temperature. Serve with tart (or with Lemon Créme Fraîche Cake).

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