Butternut Squash and Dark Chocolate Blind-Baked Tart

Combine 1.5 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup cold cubed butter and work with fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.

Drizzle in 3 tablespoons ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork until the dough just comes together. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F). Roll the chilled dough on a floured surface to 3mm thickness and line a 23cm tart pan with removable bottom. Trim edges and prick the base all over with a fork. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Line the chilled pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Blind-bake for 20-22 minutes until the edges are light golden. Remove weights and paper, then bake 5-8 minutes more until the base looks dry and set. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Increase oven temperature to 200°C (392°F). Toss 2 cups cubed butternut squash with 2 tablespoons butter (or neutral oil), spread on a baking sheet in a single layer, and roast 20-22 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized at the edges. Let cool slightly.

Transfer the roasted squash to a blender. Add 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Blend until completely smooth. Season with a pinch of salt. The filling should be thick and glossy. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Do not boil.

Place 150 grams chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit undisturbed for 2 minutes to melt.

Add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon honey to the chocolate mixture. Stir gently from the center outward until the chocolate is fully emulsified and glossy. Do not incorporate air bubbles. If needed, place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water (bain-marie) and stir until smooth and fluid.

Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Spread the cooled butternut squash filling evenly across the bottom of the blind-baked tart shell, using an offset spatula to smooth the surface.

Slowly pour the warm dark chocolate ganache over the squash layer, starting from the center and letting it flow gently outward. Tap the pan lightly on the counter to level the surface and release any air bubbles.

Bake the assembled tart for 10-12 minutes. The chocolate should be set at the edges with a slight gloss in the center when gently shaken—it will firm further as it cools.

Cool the tart on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 45 minutes until the chocolate layer is fully set. Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving to take the chill off the squash filling.