Tarte Billy Miner ᴹᴰ Recipe

Prepare crust

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Combine the finely crushed chocolate cookies and granulated sugar in a bowl. Stir in melted butter and salt until mixture holds together when pressed.

Press crumb mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan to form a compact crust (use the bottom of a measuring cup for an even press). Par-bake the crust for 8–10 minutes until set. Remove from oven and let cool slightly while preparing the fondant layer. Keep oven on.

Make fondant batter

Place chopped bittersweet chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (double boiler) or melt gently in 20–30 second bursts in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Whisk in granulated sugar until dissolved. Let cool 2–3 minutes.

Whisk eggs and vanilla together in a separate bowl. Slowly whisk a few tablespoons of the warm chocolate mixture into the eggs to temper, then pour the egg-chocolate mixture back into the remaining chocolate and whisk until smooth. Fold in the flour and salt just until incorporated; do not overmix.

Pour the fondant batter into the cooled chocolate crust, smoothing the top. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12–16 minutes: the edges should be set while the center remains slightly gooey. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 20 minutes to set the outer layer while preserving a molten center. Do not fully cool to room temperature if you want a warm fondant texture when serving with ice cream.

Infuse milk with espresso

In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk, heavy cream, and instant espresso powder. Warm over medium heat until just steaming (do not boil), whisking to dissolve the espresso. Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes off the heat to intensify coffee flavor.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Slowly whisk about 1/3 cup of the warm milk mixture into the yolks to temper. Pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.

Return saucepan to medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the custard coats the back of the spoon and reaches 170–175°F (77–80°C) (or thickens noticeably). Do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any curdled bits. Chill the custard thoroughly in an ice bath, then refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours or overnight. Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions until soft-set, then transfer to a container and freeze at least 2 hours to firm.

Make caramel

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine granulated sugar and water and cook over medium heat without stirring until the sugar dissolves and begins to caramelize at the edges. Swirl the pan occasionally to promote even color. Cook until amber (about 6–8 minutes).

Remove from heat and carefully add the butter pieces, whisking until incorporated (mixture will bubble vigorously). Slowly pour in the warmed heavy cream while whisking until smooth. Stir in sea salt. Let cool to warm or room temperature before using.

Toast almonds

In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add sliced almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, 3–5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool (they will crisp as they cool).

Assemble tart: place the tart (still slightly warm or at room temperature) on a serving plate. Slice the tart into wedges. Spoon a drizzle of salted caramel over each slice, then add a generous scoop of mokka (coffee) ice cream alongside or on top. Sprinkle toasted almonds over the caramel and ice cream and finish with a light pinch of coarse sea salt, if desired.

Serve immediately so warm fondant contrasts with cold ice cream. Leftover components: store ice cream in freezer, caramel refrigerated (reheat gently), and tart covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours or refrigerated for 2–3 days (reheat slices briefly to restore fondant center).