Incredibly Rich Chocolate Tart

Yes, this is a very rich indulgent chocolate tart to impress your guests.
However, it's so easy to make. You can even take a short cut using shop bought pastry.
Sprinkle sea salt to give the tart an extra special intense flavour.

Just enjoy. ;)

Ingredients (for 20cm pie dish)

For the pastry 

• 150g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 125g chilled unsalted butter, cubed
• 25g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp water

·    

For the chocolate filling

• 200 ml double cream
• 1tsp caster sugar 
• A pinch of fine sea salt 
• 25g unsalted butter, softened 
• 150g 70% cocoa chocolate, broken into small pieces 
• 30ml whole milk

Some sea salt flakes to decorate 

Making the pastry:

1. In a large bowl, rub together the flour and butter with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs (or use a food processor). Stir in the sugar. Add the water and work the mixture with a fork, bringing it together to form a soft dough. 

2. Turn out on to a lightly-floured work surface and shape into a disc. Wrap in cling film. Chill for 1 hour. 

3. On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the chilled dough until 5mm (1/4in) thick. Carefully transfer to a 20cm (8in) tart tin. Press the dough into the tin, trim the edges and patch up any holes with excess dough. Chill for 30 mins. 

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C. 

5. Line the tart shell with foil and fill with blind baking weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the weights and foil, and bake for a further five minutes. Leave the pastry to cool completely.

Making the chocolate filling:

1. Put the cream, sugar and salt in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove as soon as the mixture boils up. Off the heat, add the butter and chocolate. Stir until blended.
2. Take a couple of minutes to cool the mixture, then stir in the milk. Keep stirring till shiny. Pour into the tart shell and leave at room temperature for 2 hours to set.
3. Sprinkle some sea salt flakes. 

Chocolate Meringue Pie

This is my updated classic Chocolate Meringue Pie.
I very much enjoyed the chocolate meringue pie which my friend baked as the finale of her Sunday lunch that she invited me to. For me, it was the first time that I tasted the velvety chocolate filling with a crunchy but "melting in your mouth" meringue combination. I just loved it.
Apparently, that was her mum's classic "Sunday dinner pudding" which she often requested when she was little. I realise how clever the recipe is as whole eggs are used in different components of one pudding.
No waste.
I was inspired by this lovely flavour and texture combo, so I created this even more chocolaty pie.
Chocolate pastry gives the pie a more sophisticated flair.

Ingredients

Chocolate Pastry: 

• 120 g plain flour
• 15 g cocoa powder
• 20 g icing sugar
• pinch of salt
• 60 g butter, diced
• 4–5 teaspoons cold water 

Chocolate Filling:

• 3 egg yolks 
• 110 g caster sugar 
• 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 Tablespoon cornflour
• pinch of salt
• 300ml milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Orange zest (optional)

Meringue:

• 3 egg whites
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cornflour 

• 40 g dark chocolate, grated, plus extra to decorate (optional)

Make the pastry: 

1. Add the flour, cocoa, sugar and butter to a large bowl, then rub in with your fingertips or an electric mixer until you have fine crumbs. 
2. Mix in enough water to form a soft but not sticky dough. Roll out on a floured surface to fit a fluted loose-bottomed tart tin, 20 cm in diameter, 5 cm deep. (I used two small tart dishes: 13 cm in diameter, 3.5 cm deep)
3. Prick the base with a fork and chill for 15 minutes. Bake the tart blind for 10 minutes in a preheated 180°C fan oven. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes.

Make the Chocolate Filling: 

1. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cocoa powder and cornflour together in a large bowl. 
2. Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil. 
3. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture and then pour it back into the saucepan, whisking constantly until it thickens. Stir in the vanilla, (and zest of orange if you prefer) then pour into the tart case.

Make the Meringue: 

1. Whisk the egg whites and lemon juice until stiff, then gradually whisk in the remaining sugar until it has all been added. 
2. Add cornflour and keep whisking until the meringue is very thick. 
3. Then fold in the grated chocolate for a chocolatey meringue (optional).

Spoon the meringue over the pie, shape into swirls, then bake at 140°C, for 40 minutes until the meringue is slightly golden and crispy on top. 

Cool slowly in the oven by leaving the oven door ajar at least for one hour. 

Before serving, sprinkle with grated chocolate to decorate.