What's better to do in a dull day other than bake. To cheer myself up today, I've decided to bake a Chocolate Fondant Tart. This is my second attempt on making my own shortcrust pastry and I think I did really well. Actually. .. very proud of myself...
So, here it goes, I hope you enjoy it....
Equipment and preparation:
you will need a 23cm/9in fluted flan tin, 3cm/1¼in deep and baking beans.
Ingredients
For the rich shortcrust pastry
100g/3½oz plain flour
50g/1¾oz icing sugar
50g/1¾oz diced butter, chilled
1 large free-range egg yolk
about 1 tbsp cold water
For the filling
100g/3½oz butter
150g/5½oz plain chocolate, finely chopped, preferably with a high percentage of cocoa solids
150g/5½oz golden caster sugar
75g/3oz plain flour
6 medium free-range eggs
To serve
icing sugar
a few small strawberries, to decorate (optional)
pouring cream (optional)
Preparation method
For the pastry
1. put flour and icing sugar in a large bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Add the egg yolk and water and mix until it comes together to form a firm dough. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 (180C fan). Dust the work surface with flour and then roll out the pastry as thinly as you can to a circle - about 5cm/2in larger than your flan tin. Line the tin with pastry. Don’t worry if the pastry breaks a little, it is easy to patch up. Leave to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
4. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork and line the pastry case with a circle of baking parchment or foil and fill with baking beans. Bake the pastry blind for 10 minutes, or until just lightly golden-brown, then remove the paper and beans and return the tart to the oven to cook for a further 5-7 minutes, or until pale golden-brown and dried out.
For the filling
1. melt the butter in a medium pan over a low heat, then add the chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and flour. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
2. Place the pastry case on a baking tray. Pour the mixture into the pastry case, filling it right to the top and place in the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until just set around the edges - but it should still be slightly wobbly in the centre.
3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Dust with icing sugar.
Serve warm with strawberries, a dusting of icing sugar and cream.
