Dark chocolate, Raspberry and Hazelnut Tarts

Planning a dinner party or romantic meal.... Skip the hassle of spending hours slaving in the kitchen and spend more time getting yourself ready, with this easy 15-20 minute tart recipe. This may well be one of the easiest desserts you could make, yet looks quite impressive.

This recipe can be substituted with making pastry instead of a biscuit base and using other fruits for example blueberries or strawberries, incase you have any picky eaters. 

The benefit of using mini-tartlet tins is that it produces a perfect sized portion for one and also with a removable bottom, means there is no stress trying to get an unbroken slice out of the tart tin ( I know you will all have been there at one point). 

Recipe:                                                               Makes 4

Dark Chocolate Ganche: 

• 200 ml Double Cream
• 150g Dark Chocolate
• Handful of Raspberrys

Biscuit base:

• 6 Hobnobs (or a biscuit of your choice, i.e digestives
• 2 Handfuls of Hazelnuts, i.e. about 15
• 30g Butter

Method:

1) Make the ganche: heat the cream either on the stove or in the microwave to just before boiling 

2) Add the broken up chocolate and stir 

3) To make the biscuit base: put the biscuits and hazelnuts in a sealed bag and vent your frustration on them with a spatula or weapon of choice, until they resemble breadcrumbs.

4) Melt the butter and add to the biscuit and hazelnut mixture.

5) Press into your tartlet tins (or one large tin)

6) Add the ganche on top and finish with raspberries.

7) Set in the fridge for 1 hour

White and Dark Chocolate, Hazelnut Tart with Raspberries and Blueberries.

The perfect dessert for a Sunday Lunch!

This tart has come from the well known White Chocolate and Raspberry Tart, which is the ideal combination of sweet from the chocolate and sour from the fruit. However, I wanted to be a bit more creative. Therefore, firstly, I added ground hazelnuts to the pastry, making it lovely, crisp and interesting. Then for a contrast of colours and also to help re-enforce the pastries strength and prevent it becoming soggy on the bottom (if making in advance), I covered the inside of the pastry with melted dark chocolate. This was also a great semi-sweet layer which gave an added flavour and texture boost. 

Now, I have to admit.... I did not make enough filling for the size of my pastry case.... however I think that was firstly, because I ended up not having enough white chocolate (I may have eaten a few pieces) and secondly because I cooked the pastry round the outside of the tin it was bigger in size. I guess its better than over filling it and allows a good view of the dark chocolate. 

Just looking at the picture of this tart makes me crave it again!

So here is the recipe, its very easy and simple to make, the pastry is probably the most difficult part. 

Ingredients

Hazelnut Pastry:

• 100g Plain Flour
• 25g Ground Hazelnuts
• 50g cool, Unsalted Butter 
• 25g Icing sugar
• 1 Egg Yolk
• 1tbsp Cold Water

1) Place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add the nuts and sugar, then the egg yolk and water. Mix with a knife until the mixture starts coming together then gather together with your hands, turn onto a floured surface and form into a ball.

3. Wrap the pastry in cling film and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

4. Line a tart tin with the pastry (I turned the tin over and baked the pastry round the outside to easily get it off the tin), bake for 

30mins or until light golden brown.

 5. Once your pastry is cooked, allow it to completely cool and melt 75grams of dark chocolate and apply it to the inside of the tart.

6. Set the pastry back into the fridge to cool.





White Chocolate and Mascarpone filling:

 

• 200g White Chocolate
• 250g Mascarpone
• 150ml Double Cream

7. Heat the cream over the stove or in the microwave, add the white chocolate and then the mascarpone.

8. Allow to cool and then add to the tart casing.

 9. Top the tart with a packet of raspberries and blueberries.


Hey Presto ..... its ready to eat!!