Salted bitter chocolate tart

Words by Jamie from The Cake Eating Co.
Photography by Joshua from Hohua Photography




One of my favourite things about everybody having their own unique skills is that it opens up a vast world of bartering. I often find myself swapping something sweet for something that someone else can do for me be it an oil change, some baby sitting or one of my current favourites a food photography session. The wonderful Josh patiently watches me cooks, steals a few photos in the midst of my lack of ability to slow down to let him do so and then happily eats the final result after he has laboured with extensive patience to get the perfect shot. I figured I should make his sweet tooth extra happy and after finding out the secret  to that was chocolate it was decided a chocolate tart would fill his hungry man stomach. If you are a chocolate lover then this is one of the best recipes. It is so rich that you really can't eat more than a slice but it is also incredibly simple. Just a few ingredients and a bit of waiting round as it cooks. Sounds like the perfect recipe to me.

Salted bitter chocolate tart (9" round)




Chocolate pastry

100g cold butter (I like to grate it before I rub it in)
170g plain flour
30g cocoa
100g castor sugar
1 medium egg (50g) lightly mixed

Method
1. Place in a bowl the butter, cocoa and flour. Rub the butter in until there are no lumps and it has a consistency similar to bread crumbs.
2. Add the sugar and mix through. 
3. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the egg and mix it through until you get a smooth paste. Do not over mix. Wrap in glad wrap and let the mix rest for 20 minutes.
4. Roll out chilled dough on a floured bench until it is 3mm thick. Line your tart tin with the pastry and smooth off the edges. Freeze until firm.

n.b. I like to bake my pastry from frozen as opposed to blind baking. I find this works very well for this basic short pastry to prevent shrinking without the extra hassle of beans.

5. Bake in a 180 degree oven for 10 minutes until the pastry is just cooked. Turn oven down to 150 degrees.



Chocolate filling

350ml cream
200g dark chocolate - in pieces
2 eggs
1/2 tsp flakey sea salt

Method
1. In a saucepan bring the cream to the boil. Pour over chocolate pieces until mixed in and you have a homogeneous liquid. 
2. Add the salt and whisk in the eggs.
3. Pour the mix into the pre-baked tart tin and bake for a further 20 minutes at 150 degrees. 
4. Remove from the oven and cool.



Chocolate ganache top

100g cream
100g dark chocolate - in pieces.

Method
1. In a saucepan bring the cream to the boil. Pour over chocolate and mix until thoroughly dissolved. Pour over cooled chocolate filling and let set.
2. Decorate to your liking. I have topped mine with cacao nib nougatine, edible flowers, fresh raspberries, mini macarons (if you want a recipe for these there will be one in the next issue of' Hazed' out in March) and chocolate bricks. 
3. Eat it. All of it! You know you want to. 




Want a chance to win not just a chocolate tart but also the ingredients and tart tin for it? Head on over to The Cake Eating Co. Facebook page to enter. Prize pack is worth over $150!

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Frozen Yogurt Recipes said...

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