Oh So Choccy Tart
Oh So Choccy Tart is a real centrepiece fit for any celebration. Serve it as a pudding or in elegant squares for a tea party. Not only does this Choccy Tart taste good but it’s fairly simple to make and it keeps well in the fridge. Indeed once you’ve mastered lining a tart tin it’s super easy. If you're in the chocolate lovers gang you will so like this.
In this recipe I’m suggesting you use bought vegan shortcrust pastry as a shortcut but great if you want to make your own. Lining a tin, either round or rectangular which is my preference, is a question of practise and I urge you to persevere until you’ve cracked it. I describe it in some detail below. You then have the basis of so many sweet and savoury tarts at your finger tips.
The chocolate ganache, which is the tart filling, is super simple. Just be sure to melt the chocolate in a bowl suspended over simmering water. Don’t let the bowl actually touch the water or the chocolate mix will get too hot.
I’ve not suggested ‘tempering’ the chocolate here even though it is the only way to guarantee a glossy smooth finish. It is another layer of complexity which, to my mind, is not necessary for this tart especially with fresh raspberries on top which will cover any flaws.
Ingredients
Serves 8
Special Equipment - 1 loose bottomed fluted tart tin, rectangular 36m x 12cms, or round 23cms diameter; a rolling pin; a glass mixing bowl and a small saucepan; 700g dried beans or uncooked rice and bakewell paper; baking spray; a small wire whisk; 2 400g tins of beans or similar
For the pastry
400g shortcrust pastry, either bought or homemade
Plain flour for rolling out
For the Ganache
300g dark chocolate,
3 tsp fruit syrup
250ml oat cream or 150g coconut cream+100g almond milk
2 pinches sea salt
1 tsp red miso
Topping
250g or more fresh, plump raspberries
Method
Scatter a dusting of flour on a flat work surface to stop the pastry sticking and roll out the pastry to a thickness of 3-5ml.
To get a good even thickness, after every 3-4 rolls of the pin turn the pastry 90 degrees in a clockwise direction. This will ensure the pastry doesn’t shrink oddly in the tin. Keep going until you reach the required size and thickness. The idea is to end up with a piece the same shape as the tin plus a generous overlap to cover the sides and give a small overhang.
Spray the tart tin with the baking spray.
Pick up the pastry with the rolling pin, position it carefully and gently drape it over the tart tin. Mould the pastry into the tin until it is flat against the sides using a ball of spare pastry to get into the corners. Try not to stretch the pastry or it will shrink back when you cook it.
Roll the rolling pin over the top tin until it cuts through the pastry. Pull away any excess pastry. Put in the fridge to chill for half an hour.
Heat the oven to 175C fan/190C/350F.
Prick the pastry allover with a fork.
Next blind bake the pastry. This process keeps the pastry flat and provides a roomy space for the filling. Take a sheet of bakewell paper, a little bigger than the tart tin, wet it under the tap and crumple it up into a ball to soften it. Then flatten it out and ease into the tin so that it sits on top of the pastry. Fill with the beans or rice and cook in the oven for 15 minutes.
Take out of the oven, remove the paper and the beans. Put back in the oven for a further 20 mins to cook the pastry through. Take out of the oven and allow to cool.
Meanwhile get on with the filling. Heat some water in the small saucepan (no more than 25% filled) and bring to a gentle simmer.
Put all the ganache ingredients into the glass bowl and perch the bowl on top of the saucepan above the water. The ingredients should melt in the steam. Stir with a spoon and when all are roughly combined and beginning to melt, remove from the heat. and beat with a whisk until the mix is really smooth.
Put in the fridge to cool for 45 minutes. The mix should have begun to set but still be just pourable. Keep eye on it as it will quickly become too thick.
Spoon or pour into the tart case. Put back in the fridge for between 6 and 24 hours to set
To finish the tart, have your serving plate to hand, balance the tart on top of one or two 400g tins depending on the tin shape. With 2 hands gently press the tart down onto the tins underneath and watch the tart ease up and stand proud. Move the tart onto the plate. You can leave the base of the tin underneath the tart if that is easier.
For the grand finale arrange as many raspberries as you fancy on the tart.
The tart is now good to go.
