the art of TARTS

Chocolate Espresso Tart

Decadently rich, this is the perfect celebration dessert.

PASTRY

1 cup plain flour
3 tablespoons Dutch or dark cocoa powder
¼ cup icing sugar
120 grams cold chilled butter, chopped into cubes
1-2 tablespoons iced water
oil spray

FILLING

300ml cream
400 grams dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
100ml coffee liqueur

TO SERVE

⅓-½ cup Valrhona chocolate pearls; softly whipped cream

EQUIPMENT: 35cm x 12cm removable-base tart tin.

Preheat the oven to 180°C regular bake

PASTRY: Put the flour, cocoa, sugar and butter in a food processor and whizz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the water and pulse until the mixture starts to form clumps. Tip out onto a clean bench and squash together then pat into an oblong. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Roll out the pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper into a rectangle a few centimetres larger than your tin. Spray the tart tin lightly with baking spray, gently remove the top layer of the baking paper and invert the pastry into it. Press firmly into the base and sides of the tin and trim the edges. Prick the bottom lightly with a fork and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans, weights or rice. Cook for 12 minutes, remove