Bake of the Week: All you need to know to make this warm chocolate tart

SOMETIMES, only an intense chocolate hit will satisfy a craving.

And this recipe for warm chocolate tart is perfect. It’s creamy, chocolatey and a wee bit nutty. Is there a better combination? Serve with cream or creme fraiche and enjoy every bite.

Taken from Encyclopedia Of Chocolate by Frédéric Bau and École du Grand Chocolat Valrhona (Published by Flammarion 20181, £24.95).

You’ll need

Almond shortcrust pastry

120g butter, at room temp, plus extra for greasing

90g icing sugar

3 tbsp ground blanched almonds

1 egg

240g plain flour

Baked ganache

120g 70% chocolate

150ml milk

150 ml whipping cream

40g sugar

2 egg yolks

A little cocoa powder

Method

In a bowl, soften butter and mix with ½ tsp salt, icing sugar, almonds, egg and 60g of the flour.

As soon as the ingredients are mixed through, add remaining flour and mix until just combined. Cover in clingfilm and chill for about 1 hour. Roll dough out to a thickness of 3mm and wrap in clingfilm. Chill for a further 30 minutes, ensuring it is flat.

Preheat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas 2. Line an 18cm tart tin with the dough and bake for about 20 minutes, until golden.

Melt chocolate over a bowl of water or in the microwave. Bring milk, cream and sugar to the boil. Slowly pour one-third of the boiling liquid over the melted chocolate.

Use a flexible spatula to mix the liquid into the chocolate, drawing small, quick circles in the centre to create a shiny, elastic “kernel.” Incorporate another third of the liquid and mix in the same way. Pour in the remaining third, using the same stirring technique. Incorporate egg yolks and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Spoon or pipe ganache into the tart shell. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes. Dust lightly with cocoa powder and serve immediately.