Chocolate Orange Custard Tart

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

Chocolate Pastry:

• 160g plain flour

• 115g unsalted butter

• 70g icing sugar

• 20g cocoa powder

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 large egg yolk

Orange Custard:

• 2 eggs

• 1 egg yolk

• 100g caster sugar

• zest of 1 orange

• 75ml orange juice

• 75ml double cream

• pinch of salt

Chocolate Ganache:

• 125g dark chocolate

• 125ml double cream

To Decorate:

• dried oranges

• pecans

• rosemary sprigs

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Method:

Chocolate Pastry:

1. In a food processor, blitz the butter, flour, icing sugar, cocoa and vanilla extract until it looks like breadcrumbs.

2. Add the egg yolk and continue to blitz until it just comes together and forms a dough. Keep an eye on it and don't blitz any further than this or you will overwork the pastry!

3. Squeeze the dough together and form into a ball, then wrap in cling film and and leave to rest in the fridge for half an hour.

4. Once chilled, transfer to a lightly floured surface and roll the pastry to around 3mm thick. Line a greased 7 or 8 inch tart tin, and use your fingers to work it to the edge of the tin. Trim off the edges.

5. Prick the bottom of the pastry tin with a fork and leave them in the fridge to rest for another 30 minutes.

6. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 180 C (fan).

7. Once the pastry has chilled, line with baking paper and fill with baking beans.

8. Blind bake the pastry for 15 minutes, then remove the baking beans and bake for a further 5 minutes. As this pastry is chocolate it an be hard to check the colour change during the bake, so make sure you keep an eye on it!

9. Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Orange Custard:

1. In a bowl over a pan of simmering water, mix together the eggs and sugar, then add in the zest and juice.

2. Add the cream and salt, and heat gently for about 5 minutes, stiring regularly.

3. Strain the custard to remove the zest, and then pour into the cooled tart tin.

4. Bake at 130 C (fan) for 25-30 minutes, until the custard has set, but with a slight wobble.

5. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

 Chocolate Ganache:

1. Heat the cream either in a saucepan or in the microwave, until it's simmering, and add the chocolate, stirring until it is fully smooth.

2. Make sure it's not too, hot, but while it is still very pourable, spread it over the top of the custard, and use a palette knife or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly to the edge of the tart.

3. Leave to cool and set so there is no movement in the ganache.

To Decorate:

1. Add the toppings, or alternatiely, sprinkle with cocoa powder, or more chocolate.

2. Serve at room temperature, and enjoy!

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