“I want that red velvet

I want that sugar sweet

Don’t let nobody touch it

Unless that somebody’s me”

I have to say that, nothing compares to baking while Maroon 5 is playing:))) Believe me…you have to try it!

Welcome back to this week’s scrumptiously tasty recipe…guess what it is…you’ve got it:)…Dessert!

Chocolate tart 

Ingredients:

Pastry: 225g plain flour, pinch salt, 2 tablespoons icing sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 140g unsalted cold butter, chopped, 2 tablespoons iced water.

Chocolate filling: 1 1/4 cups double/heavy cream, 255 g dark chocolate (not more than 65% cacao), chopped, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Decorate and serve with caramelized nuts and whipped cream.

Method:  Pre-heat oven to 200°C.

For the  pastry, place flour, salt, sugar and cocoa in a food processor and process for 15 seconds until combined. Add butter and process until butter is finely chopped. Add iced water slowly until it forms a dough that just comes together when pressed. Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Roll pastry out between two sheets of baking paper to 3mm thick. Remove one sheet of baking paper and lay pastry over a 23cm round  tart tin with a removable base or 6 small ones. Press into tin especially into sides. Remove baking paper and trim pastry. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Use baking beads to prevent it from rising. Blind bake for 10-15 minutes until sides are crisp. Remove baking paper and baking beads and bake for a further 5 minutes  if your filling does not need more baking; if it does once you’ve removed the baking beads, pour the filling and bake until ready! 

For the chocolate filling, melt the dark chocolate, remove from heat and add vanilla essence and the double cream, whisk until smooth. Add the salt and eggs and mix with a wooden spoon.

Pour mixture in the pastry tart and place back into the oven for about 10 minutes. Watch while is baking, it’s ready to take out once the filling starts to break. Once done, let it cool completely, before serving with whipped cream and caramelized nuts.

I usually do whipped cream by whisking double cream with icing sugar using a hand mixer, but you can buy it ready-made if you want to. When I’ve made this tart, I’ve tried for the first time to make my own caramelized nuts.

Very easy:)

Melt 2 spoons of sugar until golden, while still hot add the nuts then toss and turn in the pan until they are all covered by the melted sugar. Place them on a baking paper, leave to cool, then break them in small pieces.

I’ve actually made more than I’ve needed and had them as a nice sweet treat while watching a movie:)

My advice with this recipe…

Don’t be afraid to make your own pastry …it’s easier than you think:)

I love baking this tart because it tastes absolutely gorgeous and it’s something you can have the next day as well!

Enjoy a sweet week!

Bon appetite:)