Silverbeet Tart with Carrot and Oat Crust
I have been threatening to make this tart by Helen for months now, ever since she first posted about it. It was the novel (to me) idea of having a healthy carrot and oat crust, that attracted me to the recipe. Also, with a filling of silverbeet (she used rainbow chard in the original), eggs and a restrained hand with the parmesan grater.. how could you go wrong with that combination?
When I finally made it for our dinner the other day, my only regret was that it had taken me so long to bake this fantastic tart. The crust despite being sufficiently healthy, was very tart-like, so you weren’t left feeling as though something had been compromised in terms of not having the usual shortcrust pastry. I believe, no buttery-tart-lover having tasted this, would have felt in the least bit duped.
The filling was bound by egg, but only just so (especially since the eggs I used were smaller), without it tasting like a frittata or a quiche, which B definitely isn’t a huge fan of. In fact, the end result was so delicious and made me feel so virtuous that I even went for seconds. (Thank you for the recipe, Helen! Next on my list is that award-winning chilli of yours 😀 )
Of course, after virtuosity, comes cake.
I have made a version of Eve’s chocolate cake many times before, but this time was sorely tested by the lack of proper equipment in my kitchen at home. Despite this, the rapid disappearance of the cake once it was assembled, is evidence enough of it’s success (or our greed).
What I love about this cake, apart from it being a completely flourless and nut-free chocolate cake, with minimal amounts of butter and added sugar, is the genius of having a cake topping made from the reserved unbaked cake mixture. That’s two-for-the-price-of-one, as far as any cake-making effort is concerned! If I hadn’t known that this cake was named after Damien Pignolet’s friend Eve Knottenbelt, I would’ve concluded that this cake was so called, because of it’s simple beauty, it’s grace and purity in flavour.
Eve’s Chocolate Cake :
(from French by Damien Pignolet)
360g bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
50g soft unsalted butter
12 x 65g eggs, separated
30g caster sugar
20g caster sugar
a little grated bittersweet chocolate and cocoa, to decorate
Grease a 26-28cm springform cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 150’C.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a bain-marie of hot (not boiling) water then work in the soft butter.
Beat the egg yolks with the 30g of sugar until pale. Combine them with the melted chocolate and butter.
Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry (preferably in a copper bowl with a wire whisk), and then beat in the 20g of sugar until stiff.
Beat 1/4 of the egg-white mixture into the chocolate and then fold this gently but thoroughly back into the remaining egg-white mixture.
Transfer 1/4 of the cake mixture into a bowl and refrigerate. Pour the balance of the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-40 minutes. It should remain slightly moist in the centre; to test, press the centre with your finger after 30 minutes – it should hold the indentation.
Remove from the oven and turn out directly onto a serving platter. Remove the springform ring and base. Leave to cool completely. The cake will collapse to leave a crater in the centre. Fill the crater with the reserved mixture and scatter with the chocolate. Dust lightly with cocoa and serve with whipped cream.
[Note : Eve’s chocolate cake is my submission to Lorraine’s Chocolate Cake challenge. I’m afraid I don’t have a “best ever” chocolate cake recipe, as my ultimate cake varies from day to day, but this one is definitely up there. 🙂 ]
Lorraine E said,
November 3, 2008 @ 11:17 pm
Fabulous stuff Y! I can imagine how rich it would be being flourless and with 12 dozen eggs!
Helen said,
November 3, 2008 @ 11:36 pm
I am still drooling over this post even though I have already have a sneak preview of both! I am so glad you loved the tart and I think I should return the favour by making your chocolate cake!
Y said,
November 3, 2008 @ 11:43 pm
Thanks Lorraine 😀 It IS quite decadent, but that’s never stopped me before!
Helen: I’ve already got some beans soaking for the chilli. Only thing now is wondering where I’m going to get scotch bonnet chillies from!
linda said,
November 4, 2008 @ 1:37 am
Never even heard of silverbeet but I’m sure I’d like it 😉 The tart looks delicious and healthy but not too (healthy that is 😉 Fun crust!
Creative way of camouflaging the crater, delicious too!
zita said,
November 4, 2008 @ 2:27 am
A must try combination for a tart, decadent or not 😉
matt wright said,
November 4, 2008 @ 5:13 am
A really great looking tart, and fabulous chocolate cake. Wait.. a choco cake with limited sugar, and now flour? Blimey..
Leonor de Sousa Bastos said,
November 4, 2008 @ 8:46 am
This “two-for-the-price-of-one” is pure madness!!
You should try to learn how to make better deals… eheheh
clumbsycookie said,
November 4, 2008 @ 8:55 am
I used to make a cake very similar to that one, I remeber it being delicious. And so does this one!
lisa from dandysugar said,
November 4, 2008 @ 11:06 am
Both of these look and sound amazing. Veggie goodness and decadent indulgence….the best of both worlds. Just how I like it! Great job.
Erin said,
November 4, 2008 @ 11:26 am
this looks incredible. i’ve never seen something like ’12 x 65 g’ in a list of ingredients before, what does it indicate?
We Are Never Full said,
November 4, 2008 @ 12:37 pm
o
m
g.
i want this cake now. this looks like sin on a plate. me wants.
Christy said,
November 4, 2008 @ 1:06 pm
I like the idea that you fill in the crater with the leftover mix…what a good way to minimise wastage!! I’m not a fan of savouries, but your tart, with silverbeet and eggs and parmesan, could hardly go wrong!
Mrs Ergül said,
November 4, 2008 @ 1:50 pm
I do like the miminal use of sugar and butter in this! I’m gonna give this a try soon!
Y said,
November 4, 2008 @ 3:25 pm
Hi Erin! It means this is a rather egg-stravagant (but delightful) cake…hehe… OR that the recipe requires a dozen eggs, each weighing 65g. A lot of eggs, I know, but no way does this cake taste eggy.
Manggy said,
November 4, 2008 @ 3:45 pm
Oh, I’m not a fan of the frittata/quiche-y taste as well. The more I can hide the eggy blandness with bacon or vegetables, the better 🙂 I love these moist, flourless chocolate cakes. I can definitely believe it’s up there in your top ten!
Christie@fig&cherry said,
November 4, 2008 @ 10:37 pm
I have also been meaning to try Helen’s carrot and oat crust tart – you’ve convinced me to do it. Thanks!
grace said,
November 5, 2008 @ 12:22 am
i’ll start off with something that goes without saying–awesome cake, so rich and elegant!
secondly, great tart! the crust sounds amazing, and very unique. thanks for finally making it and sharing it with us! 🙂
Susan from Food Blogga said,
November 5, 2008 @ 12:25 am
Is it weird that I’m craving the tart over the cake? 😉
Erin said,
November 5, 2008 @ 6:57 am
thanks Y. there was a comment that mentioned using 12 dozen eggs – and i couldn’t imagine a recipe worth making that required you to crack 144 eggs! 🙂
Eva said,
November 5, 2008 @ 4:56 pm
Everything looks fabulous but nothing beats chocolate cake..;-) I’m not such a great fan of fudgy flourless chocolate cake but yours looks very airy, almost like a souffle! If I were to make this in a 20cm-springform pan – do you think halving the recipe would be ok?
cakebrain said,
November 5, 2008 @ 5:55 pm
I would be so happy if I had this meal! The tart looks scrumptious and the cake looks divine!
Mike said,
November 8, 2008 @ 6:58 am
I’ve never had silverbeet, but the tart and the cake both look amazing (especially that cake–instant drool here, lol).
Sophie said,
November 9, 2008 @ 2:23 pm
That’s my kind of cake, the ingredients are so cool! No flour?! Wow.
mimi said,
November 13, 2008 @ 4:35 pm
i don’t know how B can’t be a fan of fritatta or quiche, just about the best tarts around??!!
but this looks very yummy, i’d love to try out this crust!
nadia said,
November 15, 2008 @ 9:38 am
the tart sounds delicous!!
Shari said,
November 15, 2008 @ 3:35 pm
I love a good chocolate cake and using some of the unbaked parts as topping sounds practical and delicious!
Navita said,
December 14, 2008 @ 3:08 am
Hey I love ur chocolate cake…hmmm…I WANT A PIECE! 🙂
Gai Oyama said,
August 11, 2012 @ 5:22 pm
Where is the link to the recipe for the silverbeet tart? I can’t find it and am DESPERATE to cook it. Sounds soooooo yummy.
Y said,
August 11, 2012 @ 5:47 pm
Hi Gai, thanks for your comment. I’m chasing up information on the link now. Hope it hasn’t gone for good. It was a terrific recipe.
Nola said,
March 18, 2013 @ 8:11 am
Was this the recipe?
Silverbeet and Parmesan Tart with a Carrot and Oat Crust
For the crust (fills a 24cm flan tin)
• 100g oat flakes
• 100g wholemeal flour
• 100g grated carrots
• 100g butter at room temp • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1/4 teaspoon salt
Mix the carrots, oats and butter
Fill the tart with the filling (below) and bake for a further 20 minutes at 180C.
For the filling:
• Silverbeet, 1 bunch chopped
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• Parmesan, grated as desired
• Salt and pepper
• Parsley sprig, finely chopped • 50ml milk
Add some oil to a pan and add the onions, cooking them slowly for around 10-15 minutes until they begin to caramelise.
Add the garlic for 30 seconds or so, then the chard. Remove from the heat when the chard is wilted.
In a bowl, combine the chard mix, eggs, milk, parsley, parmesan and seasoning. Pour into the tart crust and bake as above.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Add this to the carrot mix.
Bring together to form a dough and press into your tin and chill for half an hour or more.
Bake for 15 minutes at 200C
Y said,
March 18, 2013 @ 8:29 am
Thank you so much Nola, it looks like the recipe from what I can remember of it! x