Milk Chocolate Tart

Everyone raves about dark chocolate and how the high cocoa content makes it the most superior of all chocolates, but I love the smoothness and sweetness of milk chocolate. Gimme CANDY any day! And there are lots of people who will agree, as this is one of the cornerstones of my business. Use a high-sided tin for an extra deep milk chocolate filling and for the finishing touches, dust with cocoa powder and serve with thick cream.

This rich and indulgent chocolate dessert is sure to become a firm dinner-party favourite.

A FEW PASTRY TIPS...

• Clean, cold hands give best results when working with pastry.
• Careful not to over mix when making the dough.
• When rolling the pastry... roll on a cold, dry surface.
• When blind baking, push the 'baking beans' into the corners as mush as possible to retain the shape of the tin.
• Do not be beaten by pastry... YOU ARE THE BOSS!

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MY MILK CHOCOLATE TART

Ingredients

(serves 8 - 10)

FOR THE SWEET CRUST PASTRY:

• 225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 75g icing sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 150g butter
• 1 free-range egg (beaten)
• egg yolk for brushing

FOR THE FILLING:

• 600g of milk chocolate (over 35% cocoa)
• 450ml single cream
• 150ml whole milk
• 3 free-range eggs

Method

FOR THE SWEET CRUST PASTRY:

In a food processor, mix together the flour, sugar and salt, then add the butter and mix until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Be careful not to over mix. Next add the beaten egg and pulse until the pastry forms a ball (Unlike short crust, the pastry will be more paste-like and a little sticky). Wrap the dough in clean-film and chill for at least an hour and allow to firm up.

*Note: If you're making by hand, sift all the dry ingredients into a bowl and gently rub in the butter between your fingers until you have a bread crumb like consistency, mix in the beaten egg until the dough comes together. Wrap the dough in clean-film as per recipe.

Preheat the oven at 180°C/Gas 4.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 2mm thickness. Use pastry to line a 28cm/4cm tart ring placed on a baking sheet. Rest the lined tart ring in the fridge for 20 mins.

Line the rolled tart ring with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans to keep the dough from losing its shape and rising when cooking. Bake blind for about 20 minutes. Remove the greaseproof paper and baking beans and return to the oven for 5 to 8 mins or until the sweet crust pasty is starting to turn golden. Take out of oven, brush all over with egg yolk and return to the oven for 1 minute to 'dry' out (The egg yolk when dried will act as a barrier preventing the filling from escaping through any holes or cracks in the crust).

Turn the oven down to 130°C/Gas 1.

FOR THE FILLING:

Into a bowl break the chocolate into bite size pieces, bring the cream and milk to a boil and pour over the chocolate and stir until chocolate and cream are mixed. Allow to cool for 5 mins. Beat the eggs then add to the chocolate and mix well. Skim with a ladle if lots of froth/bubbles.

Fill the pastry with the chocolate filling. Carefully place in the middle of the oven and bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the filling appears set but with a slight wobble. Do not allow filling to boil and rise.

Allow to cool to room temperature before serving. Dust with cocoa powder and serve with thick cream.

Alternatively... Why not try white chocolate instead of milk chocolate and cover with raspberries once cooked and rested.