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Make Chetna Makan's organic chocolate spiced tart

Aromatic cardamom and rich candied hazelnuts are a perfect foil for dark chocolate in this gently spiced tart

Chetna Makan's Christmas Tart

Chetna Makan

Published: Monday 16th December 2019

Serves 8

Preparation time 1 hour

Cooking time 40 mins

Tired of Yule log and Christmas cake? Whether it's a finisher to a festive meal or there to snack on at your leisure for days on end, this warming winter dessert from Chetna Makan, formerly of Great British Bake Off fame, will go down a storm.

Keen to try your hand at other Christmas recipes, whilst you're at it? We've got a whole host for you to try. Why not make Mam Sham's favourite mince pie cocktail or Alex Head of the Social Pantry's sherry fudge ? Happy cooking — and happy feasting.

Ingredients

For the pastry

  • 200g plain flour
  • 20g golden caster sugar
  • 100g unsalted butter, in small cubes
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

For the dark chocolate layer

  • 300g double cream
  • Seeds from 10-12 cardamom pods or 1 tsp cardamom powder
  • 250g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 40g unsalted softened butter

For the cream topping

  • 150ml double cream
  • 150ml mascarpone
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar

To finish

  • Handful of toasted chopped hazelnuts
  • Cocoa powder
  • Hazelnut brittle, chopped
  • Edible gold leaf

Method

  1. To make the pastry, mix the flour and sugar in a bowl. Add the butter and coat it with the flour. Rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
  2. Mix the egg and lemon juice together and pour in just enough of the liquid to bring the dough together. Bear in mind that you might not need all the liquid.
  3. Gently knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a few seconds then shape it into a ball. Wrap in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180°C. On a floured surface, roll the pastry to the thickness of a pound coin. Line a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin with the pastry, leaving the excess hanging over the edge, and prick the base all over with a fork.
  5. Line the tart case with baking parchment, fill with baking beans and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and continue baking for a further 20 minutes or until the pastry looks dry and crisp.
  6. Use a small sharp knife to trim the excess pastry from the rim and leave the tart case to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
  7. To make the chocolate ganache, heat the cream in a pan and add the crushed cardamom seeds. When it is about to start boiling, pour this cream over roughly chopped chocolate. Stir the mix and let the heat melt the chocolate.
  8. When done, add the butter and let it melt. Pour the ganache into the cool tart case. Put it back in the fridge to set. This might take up to 2 hours.
  9. In a bowl, whisk the cream, mascarpone and sugar into soft peaks. Spread this over the set chocolate ganache and leave it in the fridge until ready to serve.
  10. To serve, sprinkle with some cocoa powder and hazelnuts, then place a piece of brittle on each portion alongside a tiny little piece of the gold leaf.

From the Organic. Feed Your Happy Christmas campaign. Photograph by Chris Terry. For more info, visit #FeedYourHappy.

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