These chocolate tarts are a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
- 75g unsalted butter
- 300g Brazil nuts
- 3 (50g) pure-butter shortbread biscuits
- 185g caster sugar
- 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), plus extra, to serve
- 100g milk chocolate
- 120ml freshly brewed espresso coffee (see note)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 egg whites
- 200g thickened cream
Equipment
- You will need 6 x 10cm (3.5cm-deep) loose-based tart pans.
Method
- Step 1Grease tart pans. Melt butter in the microwave or a small saucepan over low heat. Reserve 6 Brazil nuts, then process remainder with biscuits and 75g (1/3 cup) sugar in a food processor until finely chopped. Add melted butter and process until just combined. Press mixture over bases and sides of pans, then freeze for 10 minutes.
- Step 2Meanwhile, break chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Add espresso, cinnamon and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Place bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don’t allow bowl to touch water) and stir until smooth (see note). Transfer to a stainless-steel bowl. Set aside.
- Step 3Place remaining 110g (1/2 cup) sugar and 60ml (1/4 cup) water in a small saucepan and cook, stirring, over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes.
- Step 4Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Whisking continuously, slowly pour hot syrup down side of mixing bowl. Increase speed to high and whisk for a further 5 minutes or until thick and cooled. Stir a large spoonful of meringue into melted chocolate to loosen, then fold remaining meringue into chocolate.
- Step 5Using same mixing bowl and electric mixer, whisk cream to firm peaks. Fold 1 cup into chocolate mixture until just combined. Release tart shells from bases, place on a tray and fill with mousse. Place in freezer for 5 minutes to firm slightly.
- Step 6Top tarts with a spoonful of remaining cream and reserved Brazil nuts. Shave over a little extra dark chocolate to serve.
Notes
120ml espresso coffee is equivalent to 2 espressos. Alternatively, make fresh coffee in a plunger.
To shave chocolate, peel with a vegetable peeler or grate with a Microplane grater.
To ensure smooth, melted chocolate: place a quantity of chopped chocolate in a glass or stainless steel bowl. Pick a saucepan that the bowl will sot over snugly and fill one-third full with water. Bring the water to a gentle simmer. Place bowl over the pan, making sure it doesn’t touch the simmering water, and stir occasionally until melted. For small quantities of chocolate, place bowl over the pan, then turn off the heat. The residual heat will melt the chocolate.
- Author: Sophia Young
- Image credit: Jeremy Simons
- Publication: MasterChef