This foolproof tart is ready to feed a party

By Genevieve Ko, The New York Times

It’s been a hard year, and finding small joys feels particularly important right now around the holidays. When I considered which treat could deliver that happiness in this season (aside from cookies, of course), I remembered the first pastry I learned as a restaurant cook. In the basement corner of a little French bistro, we turned out chocolate tarts, the elegant little black dress of desserts.

Fashioned in the style of renowned chef Joël Robuchon’s recipe, the filling was as creamy as pudding and as silky and softly set as crème brûlée. With a buttery, crisp crust, the tart made the diners feel special and the cooks feel empowered by their baking prowess.

This big chocolate tart does the same and requires no professional training to guarantee stunning results.

In a significant departure from most tarts, it’s made in a rectangular cake pan. The speed bump edges of a fluted tart pan, and even ...