Milk Chocolate Tart – Recipe
People rave about dark chocolate and how the high cocoa content makes it superior to milk chocolate, but we love the smoothness of milk chocolate – and there are lots of people who agree. Use a high-sided tin for this lovely, deep, thick milk chocolate tart. For the finishing touches, dust with cocoa powder and serve with thick cream.
Ingredients for the pastry:
225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
75g icing sugar
Pinch of salt
150g cold butter, grated or cut into cubes
Vanilla pod (or another flavour of your choice)
1 large free range egg
1 egg yolk, beaten, to brush pastry case
Method for the Shortcrust Pastry 1:
- Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl
- Place into a food processor, add the butter and blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Alternatively rub the fat into the flour using your fingertips until you get the breadcrumb consistency.
- Cut the vanilla pod in half, scrape out the seeds and beat with an egg in a bowl.
- Add to the flour mixture and beat (with a wooden spoon or in the food processor) until a ball of pastry forms. Do not over mix. Wrap tightly in cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 180c.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 2mm thick.
Method for the Shortcrust Pastry 2:
- Line a 24-26cm x 4cm tart ring with the dough and press the sides in, allowing the excess to fall over the edge.
- Rest the lined tart ring in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up. This will ensure that the pastry doesn’t shrink during cooking.
- You will have leftover pastry, so wrap in cling film and freeze for another day.
- Remove the cooled tart ring from the fridge. Line with greaseproof paper and fill with ceramic baking beans (or rice, dried beans) to keep the bases shape during cooking and stop the dough from rising. Bake blind for about 20 minutes, remove the baking beans and greaseproof paper and return to the oven for 5-8 minutes or until the pastry starts to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and brush with egg yolk. Leave to cool. Your pastry case is now ready for use.
Ingredients for the Filling
450ml of single cream
150ml of whole milk
600g of milk chocolate (minimum 35% cocoa solids) , melted
3 free range eggs
Method for the Filling
- Bring the cream and milk to the boil and pour over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate and cream are mixed. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Beat the eggs then add to the chocolate and mix well.
- Fill the pastry case with the chocolate filling.
- Carefully 150ml whole milk place in the middle of the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the filling appears set but with a slight wobble.
- Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.
- Dust with icing sugar.
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Chef, Andy Bates. Andy Bates Street Feasts and American Street Feasts every weekend from 1st January at 2pm – 4pm. Recipe from his new book “Andy Bates, Modern Twists on Classic Dishes” available to purchase from foodnetwork.co.uk.
