Silky and sweet

AS visitors to my blog will know or as its name might suggest, I don’t usually cook too lavishly but rather I bake good food on an everyday basis to feed myself and the lads in my life.

But sometimes, just sometimes, I do like to get a little bit fancy in the kitchen – provided it’s easy enough and doesn’t take six hours to prepare.

This recipe is a “wait until the little lads are in bed this one is too good for them” kind of deal.

Yes, I regularly hide food from my children.

I strongly believe there are certain things they don’t need to know about yet, like the joys of this magnificent chocolate tart. Because I fear like their mother, they are yet to master the art of self control.

This tart is definitely for sharing with big people because trust me, you will want to show this sucker off. It’s silky, chocolately goodness hugged by pastry. What’s not to love?!

Silky Chocolate Tart

Pastry

150 g softened butter

100 g caster sugar

225 g plain flour

50 g almond meal

1 egg yolk

Juice of ½ lemon

½tsp vanilla bean paste

Filling

200ml full fat milk

250ml cream (I use Bannister Downs)

30g caster sugar

250g dark chocolate – at least 70 per cent solids

2 large eggs

Method

Mix butter and sugar together in a mixer or food processor, add flour and almond meal and mix to combine. Add egg yolk, lemon juice, vanilla and a tablespoon or so of iced water, mixing until the dough comes together. Shape into a disc and wrap in cling wrap, before putting in the fridge to rest for an hour.

Evenly roll out pastry between two sheets of baking paper and gently place into a fluted tart tin (about 24cm). Ensure you have a good fit in your tin before trimming the edges (push, pull and adjust as needed).

Blind bake at 180C for 12 minutes, before taking out the baking paper and whatever you’ve used to weigh it down, before baking for a further 8 minutes or until golden.

For the filling, combine milk, cream and sugar in a saucepan and whisk gently while slowly bringing to the boil. Take off the heat and add chocolate, whisking until smooth before adding the eggs.

The easiest way to pour the filling into the tart case is by placing your case into the oven on a tray and then carefully pouring the filling into the case.

Bake at 180C for 20-25 minutes, it should still have a slight wobble to it but will set as it cools.

Serve with a nice blob of cream and enjoy!