Chocolate Tart

Crust Ingredients-

Plain Flour ---------------------------------------------- 150g/ 5 1/2 oz
Unsalted Butter ----------------------------------------- 100g/ 3 1/2 oz
Caster Sugar -------------------------------------------- 50g/ 1 3/4 oz
Egg Yolk ------------------------------------------------ 1 Medium
Vanilla Extract ------------------------------------------ 1 1/2 Teaspoons

Techniques-

The butter must be chilled and diced.
The caster sugar can be susbtituted for granulated (regular) sugar.

Crust Instructions- 

• In a bowl, rub the flour and butter together until fine crumbs form.
  
  
   
• Add the sugar to the crumb mixture and stir to combine.
  
  
   
• Beat the egg yolk with the vanilla extract and add to the dry ingredients.
  
   
• Bring together to form a rough dough, cover with cling film and chill for 15 minutes.
  
  
• Take the dough out of the refrigetator and put on a lightly floured surface.  
  
  
• Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
• Roll out the pastry to a thickness of 3mm/1 1/2 inches.
  
  
• Line a 22cm/ 9 inch tart tin, by rolling the dough halfway and transferring it carefully.
  
  
• Leave an overlapping edge.
  
  
• Cut the excess overlaping edge off. 
• Grab some of the leftover dough.
  
  
• Now push the leftover dough against the wall or edge of the tin.  This will make it thinner and higher.
  
  
• Now pinch the higher edges with your thumb and index fingers.
  
  
• Now, prick the pastry base all over with a fork to prevent air bubbles forming during baking.
  
  
  
  
  
• Line the pastry case with baking parchment.  I cut my parchment in a circle by placing the tart tin on top and cutting 1inch off its edge.
  
  
• Scatter baking beans over the paper, place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
  
  
• After 20 minutes, remove the beans and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
  
  
• Once cooked, put aside.
  
  

Filling Ingredients-

Unsalted Butter ---------------------------------------- 150g/ 5 1/2 oz
Dark Chocolate ----------------------------------------- 200g/7 oz Broken into pieces
Eggs ----------------------------------------------------- 3 Medium
Caster Sugar -------------------------------------------- 50g/1 oz
Whipping Cream ---------------------------------------- 100g/3 1/2 fl oz

Techniques-

Caster sugar can be substituted with granulated (regular) sugar.
Dark chocolate can be substituted with milk chocolate.
Whipping cream (UK) = Double crem (USA)

Filling Instructions-

• Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (bain marie/ bano maria). 
  
  

• Stir the chocolate until melted.
  
  
   
• When just melted, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
  
  
   
• Whisk together the eggs and caster sugar until well blended. 
  
  
   
• Pour in the cool chocolate mixture and whisk gently but throughly to combine.
  
  
    
  
   
• Finally, mix in the whipping cream.
  
  
    
  
   
• Pour the filling into the pastry case and transfer to the top of the preheated oven.
  
  
   
• Bake for 15 minutes until just set. Leave to cool for 5 minutes; it will continue to harden. 
  
  
• Take to the refrigerator and cool for at least 1 hour.