Spiced Chocolate Tart @ My Family Table

If there is one thing I make that I can be sure my husband will not like, it’s a chocolate tart. He just doesn’t like them. He’s never met a chocolate tart that he found agreeable. At least, not one that I know of anyway.

Chilli @ My Family Table

As a result, I don’t make them very often. And even though I (sometimes) fondly refer to him as my cranky old man, I’m not inclined to serve something that he claims he doesn’t like. No-one likes to cook for an unappreciative audience.

A Slice of Spiced Chocolate Tart @ My Family Table

So when the Death by Chocolate Sweet Adventures Blog Hop coincided with my Dad’s 60th birthday, I jumped at the chance to make a chocolate tart.

More Spiced Chocolate Tart @ My Family Table

I served it with some cinnamon cream, and the gentle chilli spice with the soft dark chocolate filling went down rather well. And despite protesting between each mouthful, my husband polished off a whole slice himself.

Spiced Chocolate Tart Recipe @ My Family Table

Ingredients

I've used Jamie Oliver's "15 Chocolate Tart" as the inspiration for this recipe.

Pastry

  • 200g plain flour
  • 75g caster sugar
  • 20g cocoa powder
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 115g unsalted butter, cubed and chilled well
  • 1 large egg, lightly whisked

Filling

  • 200ml double cream (at least 45% milk solids)
  • 70ml full cream milk
  • 2 small birds eye chillies, stalk removed and halved lengthways
  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ vanilla bean, halved lengthways, seeds scraped
  • 110g dark chocolate (70%)
  • 1 large egg, lightly whisked

Method

To make the pastry, add the dry ingredients to the bowl of a food processer. Add the cold butter and cut through the dry ingredients by whizzing in the processor for a few seconds. When the butter is distributed evenly, add the egg and continue to whiz for a few more seconds, until the mixture just starts to come together. Turn the mixture onto some plastic wrap, and with minimal handling, gently bring together to form a disc. Wrap the disc in the plastic wrap tightly, and refrigerate for an hour.

Grease a 24cm loose bottom tart pan, and set aside while you make the filling.

To make the filling, place the cream, milk, chillies (seeds included), vanilla bean (seeds included), and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Very gently bring to a slow simmer, stirring regularly. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse while you make the pastry.

Once the pastry dough has chilled for an hour, transfer to a clean, well-floured surface, and gently roll it out to about a 3mm thickness. Line the base of the tart pan with the pastry and return to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 180°C.

Remove the lined tart pan from the fridge and use a rolling pin to trim the excess pastry, and a fork to prick the base. Line with baking paper and baking weights (I use rice), and bake the pastry in your oven for 12-15 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove the baking weights and set aside to cool slightly while you finish the filling.

Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C.

Push the cream mixture through a fine sieve, being careful to remove all chilli seeds. Return the strained mixture to the same saucepan, and add the dark chocolate. Over a low heat, stir regularly until the chocolate has melted. Gently whisk in the egg.

Pour the filling into the pastry case, tapping gently to remove any air bubbles. Bake in your 170°C oven for 15 minutes, until the mixture has a slight wobble about it. Turn off the oven and open the oven door part of the way to let the heat out without cooling the tart too quickly, to prevent cracking. The filling will firm on cooling.

Serve each slice of tart with a dollop of cinnamon cream.

Making Spiced Chocolate Tart @ My Family Table

Sweet Adventures Blog Hop - Death by Chocolate - The Hungry Australian

This recipe is part of the Death by Chocolate Sweet Adventures Blog Hop, hosted by the lovely Christina at The Hungry Australian. Also linking with Weekend Potluck, hosted by Baking Bad.

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