Charlotte’s Chocolate Tart

  • Prep time: 20 min, plus at least 2 hours resting time
  • Cook time: 50 min
  • Serves: 8-12

Ingredients

For the pastry

  • 300g unsalted butter
  • 110g icing sugar, sifted
  • 2 eggs
  • 500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

For the filling

  • 400g dark chocolate, (minimum 60% cocoa solids), finely chopped
  • 150ml full fat milk
  • 250ml whipping cream
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • clotted cream, to serve

Method

  1. For the pastry: in a large bowl, beat the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat into the butter and sugar until smooth. Tip in the flour and mix to a smooth paste that comes away cleanly from the sides of the bowls.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and mould lightly into a ball. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  4. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7.
  5. Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured work surface to about 4mm thick. Use the rolling pin to carefully lift the dough and lay it over a 28cm diameter flan tin, gently pushing it into the tin. Trim off any excess.
  6. Line the pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or rice then bake blind for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes then remove from the oven and leave to cool.
  7. Reduce the oven to 120C/gas ΒΌ.
  8. For the filling: tip the chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Bring the milk and cream to the boil then pour over the chocolate, whisking briskly to form a smooth, glossy mixture. Stir in the eggs.
  9. Pour the chocolate mixture into the tart case and bake 20-25minutes, or until just set.
  10. Serve warm with cream. I used 150% quantities and a 26 cm flan tin.