Chocolate-Buckwheat Tart
Hazelnut Praliné, Dark Chocolate Ganache, Milk Chocolate Ganache, Puffed Buckwheat
Pastry Chef Samantha Gainsburg of Butter Shtick | Seattle, WA
Yield: Sixteen 3-inch tartlets
Adapted by StarChefs | November 2025 | Photo: Alexander Zeren
INGREDIENTS
Puffed Buckwheat:
200 grams buckwheat groats, rinsed
Neutral oil
365 grams granulated sugar
Maldon salt
Hazelnut-Puffed Buckwheat:
165 grams hazelnut praliné
75 grams melted milk chocolate
Kosher salt
Dark Chocolate Ganache:
124 grams heavy cream
31 grams whole milk
43 grams glucose
192 grams dark chocolate
93 grams lightly whipped cream
Milk Chocolate Ganache:
800 grams heavy cream
115 grams toasted buckwheat
290 grams milk chocolate
20 grams invert sugar
Buckwheat Tart Shell:
356 grams all-purpose flour
119 grams buckwheat flour
59 grams almond flour
229 grams butter
38 grams cornstarch
4 grams kosher salt
152 grams confectioners’ sugar
102 grams eggs
To Assemble and Serve:
Maldon salt
METHOD
For the Puffed Buckwheat:
Heat oven to 320°F. Spread groats on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Toast until nutty and fragrant. Let cool. Bring a pot of 100 grams water to a boil. Add toasted groats and cook 10 minutes. Strain, and let cool 30 minutes at room temperature. Heat a dehydrator to 120°F. Place cooked groats on a parchment-lined sheet tray and roast 4 hours, or until completely dry. Break into small pieces and set aside. In a deep fryer, heat oil to 400°F. Using a metal frying basket, add groats to hot oil and fry until puffed. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let drain. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and just enough water to submerge. Cook until mixture reaches 244°F. Add groats and stir until sugar begins to brown. Transfer to a silicone-lined sheet tray. Season with salt. Set aside.
For the Hazelnut-Puffed Buckwheat:
In a mixing bowl, combine praliné and chocolate. Fold in 150 grams Puffed Buckwheat. Season with salt. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Dark Chocolate Ganache:
In a saucepan over medium, bring cream, milk, and glucose to a boil. Add chocolate. Using a Vitamix Commercial immersion blender, blend mixture until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Milk Chocolate Ganache:
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a simmer. Add toasted buckwheat. Remove from heat and let sit 1 hour at room temperature. Strain and set aside. Place chocolate in a metal mixing bowl and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring 180 grams infused cream mixture and invert sugar to a simmer. Pour over chocolate. Using a Vitamix Commercial immersion blender, blend until mixture is fully emulsified. Add additional 480 grams infused cream mixture and blend again until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. The next day, transfer mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip until soft peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a St. Honoré tip and refrigerate.
For the Buckwheat Tart Shell:
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flours, butter, cornstarch, and salt. Mix until a sand-like consistency is achieved. Add sugar and eggs. Mix until dough just comes together. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. The next day, heat oven to 320°F. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Place sixteen 3-inch tart molds on a sheet tray and set aside. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough until 3-millimeters thick. Punch out 3-inch rounds and line prepared tart molds. Freeze 20 minutes. Bake until golden brown. Reserve.
To Assemble and Serve:
Bring Hazelnut-Puffed Buckwheat, Dark Chocolate Ganache, and Milk Chocolate Ganache to room temperature. Top Buckwheat Tart Shell with 1 even layer Hazelnut-Puffed Buckwheat followed by 30 grams Dark Chocolate Ganache. Refrigerate until set. Pipe Milk Chocolate Ganache over top. Garnish with Puffed Buckwheat. Finish with salt.
