Warm Chocolate Tart

Serves 8

Rich, chocolaty, creamy filling, in a sweet, almond pastry is a perfect grown up indulgence over the Christmas season. Whether you are dressing up for a dinner party or curling up by the fire, warm chocolate tart, is a great little treat, during the dark long winter evenings.

Chocolate is the way to a woman’s heart, so if you are planning a romantic meal warm chocolate tart with a glass of red wine is a wonderful end to a delicious meal perfect for your lovely lady.

If you are only cooking for the two of you then warm chocolate tart still taste very good cold, so no need to worry about cooking too much.

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 115g plain flour
• 25g ground almonds
• 50g unsalted butter
• 25g caster sugar
• 1 egg beaten

For the chocolate filling

• 117g chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
• 25g unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 55g golden caster sugar
• 150ml double cream
• Icing sugar for dusting

Method

1. Mix the ground almonds and flour in a bowl, rub in butter until mix resembles bread crumbs.
2. Stir in sugar and add in egg to make soft dough. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface.
3. Line a greased 20cm loose-bottom flan tin with the rolled out dough. Prick the base with a fork and chilli for 1 hour.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 190C.
5. Cover the pastry in the tin with greaseproof paper and half fill the tin with baking beans or rice to weigh down the pastry. On a baking sheet bake the pastry case for 15 minute, remove the paper and baking beans and cook for a further 5 minutes until pastry is cooked.
6. Reduce the oven to 160C.
7. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heat proof bowl over hot simmering water. Stir until smooth and leave to cool slightly.
8. Whisk the egg and sugar together for 5 minutes until thick and pale. Fold in the chocolate and then double cream. Pour this into the flan case and bake for 20 minutes.
9. When ready to serve, remove the tart carefully. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.