Ingredients:

  • 200g chocolate graham cracker crumbs
  • 60g unsalted butter, melted
  • 15g unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1g fine sea salt
  • 250g bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao), finely chopped
  • 240ml heavy whipping cream (minimum 36% fat)
  • 30g unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
  • 5ml pure vanilla extract
  • 450g large, firm strawberries
  • 15ml seedless strawberry jam
  • 5ml water

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 175°C. Note: A hot oven ensures the butter and crumbs bind quickly.
  2. Combine the 200g chocolate graham cracker crumbs, 15g cocoa powder, and 1g sea salt in a medium bowl.
  3. Pour the 60g melted butter over the mixture. Stir until it looks like wet sand.
  4. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 23cm tart pan. Note: Use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to get a perfectly even base.
  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the crust smells fragrant and feels slightly firm.
  6. Cool completely on a wire rack. The crust must be cold before adding the ganache.
  7. Place the 250g finely chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl.
  8. Heat the 240ml heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Do not let it reach a rolling boil.
  9. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. Note: This allows the heat to penetrate the chocolate centers without introducing air.
  10. Whisk gently starting from the center and moving outward until the mixture is glossy and smooth.
  11. Stir in the 30g cubed butter and 5ml vanilla extract. Continue stirring until the butter is completely incorporated.
  12. Pour the ganache into the cooled crust. Shake the pan gently to level the surface.
  13. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until the center is set and no longer jiggles.
  14. Wash and dry the 450g strawberries thoroughly. Moisture is the enemy of ganache.
  15. Slice the berries vertically. To make them heart shaped, cut a small V shape into the top of each berry half where the stem was.
  16. Arrange the strawberries in concentric circles on top of the chilled ganache.
  17. Heat the 15ml jam and 5ml water in a microwave for 15 seconds.
  18. Brush the warm glaze over the berries until they are shimmering and bright.