COINTREAU FRUIT MINCE, GINGER & CHOCOLATE TARTS

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR (+ STANDING, REFRIGERATION & COOLING) MAKES 24

½ cup (80g) mixed dried fruit ¼ cup (60ml) orange-flavoured

liqueur

GINGERBREAD

60g cold butter

1½ cups (225g) plain flour ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1/3 cup (75g) firmly packed

brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cloves 2 tablespoons treacle

1 egg

DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE

150g dark chocolate, chopped coarsely ¼ cup (60ml) pouring cream

25g butter

CARAMEL SHARDS ¼ cup caster sugar ¼ cup water

1 Finely chop fruit. Combine fruit and liqueur in a small bowl, cover; stand overnight.

2 Make gingerbread dough. Divide dough in half. Roll each portion separately, between sheets of baking paper, until 3mm thick. Place on trays lined with baking paper; refrigerate for 30 minutes. 3 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Grease 2 x 12-hole (1-tablespoon/ 20ml) shallow round-based patty trays.

4 Using a 6.5cm round cookie cutter, cut 24 rounds from dough; press into pan holes. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly golden.

Cool completely in trays.

5 Meanwhile, make the dark chocolate ganache.

6 Spoon fruit mixture into the gingerbread cases; pour over ganache, smooth surface. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.

7 Meanwhile, make caramel shards.

8 Sprinkle tarts with caramel shards just before serving.

GINGERBREAD

Coarsely chop butter. Process flour, soda, sugar, spices and chopped butter until crumbly. Add treacle and egg; process until ingredients come together. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE Stir chocolate, cream and butter in a medium heatproof bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water (don’t let water touch base of bowl) for 4 minutes or until melted and smooth.

CARAMEL SHARDS

Stir sugar and the water in a small saucepan over medium heat, without boiling, for 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Boil, uncovered, without stirring, for 5 minutes or until a golden colour. Pour caramel onto an oven tray lined with baking paper. Stand at room temperature for 1 hour or until set. Chop caramel into shards.