Melting moments
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BAKING MADE EASY
Can you have too much of a good thing? We don’t think so – at least not when it comes to chocolate. Take the chocolate praline tart with its triple-whammy of chocolatey goodness. Cocoa enriches the crisp pastry base, while milk chocolate boosts the creamy filling given crunch with hazelnuts and fine crystals of praline. The truly luxurious final layer of a deeply dark-chocolate cream seals the deal. Too much? Not at all. And what’s more, as professional as it looks, this tart is easily achievable in the home kitchen when you’re equipped with the right appliances. The secret of the Siemens Induction Cooktop is in the name: FlexInduction. Flexibility is key to good cooking. With this cooktop you have all the control you need to juggle the requirements of bubbling caramel, say, and gently melting chocolate. The Siemens oven, meanwhile, takes care of your baking needs with automated baking options for perfect results every time, its 4D Hot Air Eco feature providing pinpoint-accurate heat with energy efficiency. Together they make a dynamic kitchen duo.
Triple chocolate praline tart Prep time 30 mins, cook 45 mins
Serves 16
160 ml pouring cream
40 ml milk
200 gm dark chocolate (61% cocoa solids), finely chopped
Whipped thickened cream, to serve
Chocolate pastry
200 gm plain flour
60 gm pure icing sugar, sifted
30 gm Dutch-process cocoa
100 gm cold butter, coarsely chopped 2 egg yolks
Milk chocolate praline filling
150 gm hazelnuts, roasted, skins removed 175 gm raw caster sugar
300 ml pouring cream
400 gm milk chocolate, finely chopped
1 For chocolate pastry, process flour, icing sugar and cocoa in a food processor until combined. Add butter, process until mixture resembles fine crumbs, then add egg yolks and process to combine. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, bring pastry together with the heel of your hand. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2 Preheat oven to 180C with the Rapid Heat-Up function. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thick and line a 28cm-diameter loose-bottomed tart tin, trimming edges. Refrigerate for 1 hour, then blind-bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove paper and weights and bake until dry and crisp (8-10 minutes).
3 For praline filling, spread hazelnuts on an oiled baking tray. Combine sugar and 60ml water in a small saucepan and stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, cook until dark caramel in colour (4-5 minutes), then pour over nuts. Stand until cool and set (8-10 minutes), then process in a food processor until finely ground. Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, add chocolate, stir until smooth, remove from heat, stir in two-thirds of praline mixture (reserve remaining to serve). Spoon into pastry case, smooth top, refrigerate until just set (1½-2 hours).
4 Combine cream and milk in a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Add dark chocolate, remove from heat, and stir until smooth. Spread chocolate cream over tart and refrigerate until just set (45 minutes to 1 hour). Scatter with reserved praline, cut into wedges with a hot wet knife and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
Can you have too much of a good thing? We don’t think so. Especially not when it comes to chocolatey goodness.