Recipe of the week! Bake week - Chocolate Tart

February 19, 2015 by Chef Justin from Justin's Food Company

My favourite time of the month, bake week.

Try out this rich chocolate tart. A little skill needed with rolling out pastry but it's not to difficult. If you have never rolled pastry before, just give it a go.

The more you try the better you get.

Ingredients:

I (For the pastry)
- 450g plain flour
- 50g icing sugar
- 250g soft unsalted butter (cut into cubes)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tbs cold water, plus more if needed

(Chocolate filling)
- 300g dark chocolate (70%coco is best)
- 100g unsalted butter
- 200g double cream


Method

To make the pastry:
1. Combine the flour, icing sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the butter and with clean hands start to rub the mixture together until it resembles bread crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the pastry.
3. Combine the egg yolk and the water in a small bowl, whisk up with a fork, now pour the mix into the well and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being to wet or sticky.
4. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more water, 1 tsp at a time.
5. When it's ready form into a ball and squash down into a disc shape, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge to rest for at least 20 minutes.
6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into roughly 12inch circle to about the thickness of a 1 pound coin. Carefully roll the pastry up onto the rolling pin and lay inside a 9/10-inch tart tin with a removable bottom. Press the pastry into the tin so it fits tightly, press the edges into the sides of the tin. Make sure to press the dough evenly into every nook and corner of the ring.
7. Shave off the excess hanging pastry with a knife.
8. Place in fridge for 10 minutes to rest. Preheat the oven to 200c
9. Place the tart onto a baking tray, line the tart with grease proof paper and add baking beans, dried beans or rice (blind bake).
10. Place the tart in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the sides are golden. Carefully remove the paper and check the pastry is cooked on the bottom, if not quite done, turn off your oven and pop the tart back for 5/10 minutes until cooked.
11. When ready pop the tart onto a wire rack (leave the pastry in the case).

While the case is cooling you will have time to make the filling.

The filling
1. Place all of the filling ingredients into a glass bowl and sit over a saucepan of simmering water and melt together, this will take 10/15 mins.
2. When all has melted the mix should look nice and glossy.
3. Pour into the tart case and level out with a spatula or spoon, allow to cool for 20 minutes before popping into the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.

This recipe is courtesy of Chef Justin from Justin's Food Company
https://www.facebook.com/www.justinsfoodcompany.co.uk