~These are perfect for entertaining - chill the uncooked tarts until you're almost ready to serve, then quickly cook them. The only rule with these is to eat them straight from the oven while the centres are still gooey.~ (BBC Good Food Magazine)The good thing is you can make this in advance, just tuck it into the oven from frozen and enjoy your dinner before the oven "ding". Hassle Free!
Serve the warm chocolate tart with some homemade oreo ice cream. Yummy!
Recipe for 4 x 10cm tart pans
For Shortcrust pastry:
220g plain flour
110g unsalted butter
20g sugar powder
220g plain flour
110g unsalted butter
20g sugar powder
pinch of salt
2 egg yolk + 2 tbsp cold water
2 egg yolk + 2 tbsp cold water
For chocolate fillings:
200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
2 tbsp double cream
1 tbsp brandy (optional)
2 large eggs, plus 1 yolk
50g caster sugar
85g almonds, chopped
- Mix the eggs yolks with 2 tbsp cold water stir with a fork until well combine. Place the flour into the bowl of a food processor, followed by the cold butter and the salt.
- Turn the processor on and pulse several times until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.Add the egg yolk/water mixture and pulse again. Be careful not to overwork the pastry. Stop pulsing when the mixture has the consistency of chunky breadcrumbs.
- Turn the pastry out onto a clean, floured work surface and, with floured hands, bring together to make a dough, but don't knead. Shape into a flattened ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. You can keep the pastry at this stage for 2-3 days if not using it immediately.Remove the pastry from the fridge. On a clean, floured work surface, roll it out with a floured rolling pin until it's slightly larger than the flan ring. Using the rolling pin, lift the pastry and lay it over the flan ring.
- With your fingers, lightly press the pastry into the sides of the ring. Run a rolling pin over the top of the ring and pull away the excess pastry at the edges. Using your fingers, gently press the pastry up to slightly build up the height of the pastry at the edges.
- Line the tart with a piece of parchment and chill it for 20 minutes so it doesn't shrink when you cook it.
- Heat the oven to 200'C. Add baking beans or rice and bake it for 15 minutes, then lift out the parchment and beans and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the pastry is dry and a good brown colour.
- While the pastry is cooking, melt the chocolate, cream and alcohol, if using, in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolk and sugar until light and frothy. Briefly whisk the melted chocolate into the eggs and fold through most of the chopped nuts.
- Divide the chocolate mixture between the cases and scatter with the remaining nuts. Uncooked tarts can now be frozen. Bake for 12 minutes or 20 minutes from frozen. The tops of the tarts will souffle up and they should still be soft in the middle. Serve with some berries, cream or ice cream. Enjoy!
