Recipe Archive

Sweet Pastry

A versatile sweet pastry, it can be used for baked tarts or filled with custard or patisserie crème for fruit tarts. This quantity will make enough for two cases. Once made this pastry can be frozen uncooked in the tin. Ready for use the next time you are making a tart. When making pastry it is important that your hands are not too warm, as this will melt the butter. A good trick is to re arrange the freezer just prior to making your pastry.
Ingredients
600gm flour
200gm soft butter
4dessert spoons milk
200gm castor sugar
4 egg yolk
salt
Method
On a clean bench mix flour, butter and sugar together by rubbing it gently between cool hands the result should look like bread crumbs. Add a pinch of salt, milk and yolks, kneed till it has formed a smooth consistency. Refrigerate for 30 mins, then roll our into desired shape. Blind bake pastry tart in a pre heated oven at 160°C until light brown (around 15 mins) Use a rectangle loose bottom tin 45cm x 8cm or 20cm round tin.

A really easy (chocolate) tart or pots

This is a really easy and impressive dessert. Make sure you buy good quality chocolate, it makes all the difference. Valrhona is the best, use the 64-70% depending on what is available near you.

I apologise for not being able to resist a picture of another "easy tart"
Ingredients
660gm Good quality dark chocolate
580ml double pouring cream
250ml milk 3 large eggs
60ml Good quality brandy or Cognac
3-4 Drops of orange oil (optional)
Zest of three oranges (very fine, avoid any white flesh)
1/2 quantity of sweet pastry (see recipe: Sweet Pastry)
Method
Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Bring milk and cream (add zest and orange oil if using) to simmering temperature. If using zest strain through muslin cloth, then pour over the warm chocolate. Cool and add whole eggs and Cognac, stir through. Pour into par baked tart case or ramekins. Bake for 20min (depending upon oven) at 120°C If baking in ceramic stand ramekins in a shallow tray of water and test after 20min, cooking time will be longer and depend upon the thickness of dish used.