CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT TART WITH BOOZY PRUNES AND CRÈME FRAÎCHE
CUTTING THE CORD
A classic chocolate tart, ramped up with the best crème fraîche you can get hold of – the quality of the cream really makes a difference here
– and boozy prunes (just because you can).
SERVES 6-8
You will need: a 25cm loose-bottomed tart tin FOR THE ARMAGNACSOAKED PRUNES 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways and seeds scraped out
500g pitted Agen prunes
3tbsp caster sugar 250ml Armagnac
FOR THE CHOCOLATE TART CASE
500g sweet shortcrust pastry
Plain flour, for dusting 1 egg yolk, beaten with a splash of milk
FOR THE TART FILLING 100g blanched hazelnuts
280ml double cream 140ml whole milk
450g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), cut into chunks
3 eggs
4 tbsp full-fat crème fraîche, to serve
1 First, prepare the prunes. Put the vanilla seeds in a small pan, along with the prunes, sugar and Armagnac. If the liquid doesn’t cover the prunes, top up with a little water. Bring to a simmer and stir to dissolve the sugar. Then, as soon as the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and transfer half of the prunes to a blender, along with a splash of the cooking liquor. Blitz to a smooth, thick purée and set aside. Leave the remaining prunes in the liquid to cool down and macerate (you can do this up to a day ahead of when you want it).
2 Preheat the oven to 170C/gas 3.
3 Toast the blanched hazelnuts on a tray in the oven for 3-5 mins, then remove.
Leave to cool and roughly chop.
4 Now, prepare the pastry case. Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured worktop to a thickness of 5mm. Use a rolling pin to gently lift it up and place it over the tart tin. Carefully press the pastry into the tin, all the way around the edges, taking care not to tear it. There will be some pastry overhang, which you will trim off after the pastry has cooked (the pastry will shrink in the oven). Use small pieces of excess pastry to patch up any cracks, if necessary. Prick the base lightly with a fork and place it in the fridge to rest for at least 30 mins.
5 Remove the pastry case from the fridge and line it with greaseproof paper. Fill it with baking beans and place in the centre of the oven to blind bake for 20 mins. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the paper and beans. Return the pastry to the oven for a further 5-10 mins until nicely golden, then remove from the oven and brush the beaten egg yolk evenly all over the pastry. Pop the pastry back in the oven for 2 mins so the egg yolk creates a sealed layer on the pastry.
6 While the pastry case is baking, prepare the filling. Bring the cream and milk to a boil in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Put the chunks of chocolate in a heatproof bowl. As soon the hot milk/cream mixture reaches boiling point, pour it over the chocolate and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the eggs.
7 When the pastry case is cooked, remove it from the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 150C/gas 2.
8 Run a knife around the rim of the pastry case to remove excess pastry and give it a neat edge. Spread the prune purée in a 5mm layer over the base of the pastry case, then add the chocolate filling until it settles just under the rim. Sprinkle the hazelnuts evenly over the top and bake in the centre of the oven for 15 mins. The surface should be just set.
9 Remove from the oven and leave the tart to cool for at least 2 hrs before removing it from the tin. It’s best eaten at room temperature on the day you make it, and is delicious served simply with some crème fraîche and the macerated boozy prunes.
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