Chocolate Tarts

Sweet pastry

1. Pre-heat the oven.
2. Put the flour and butter into a large bowl. Use a fork or pastry blender to work them together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in the sugar.
4. Add the egg yoks and stir well.
5. Using your hands gather the mix together and knead it into a ball of smooth pastry dough.
6. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces.

Blind baking

1. Cut twelve 15cm/6”squares of parchment.
2. Place a piece of dough between two pieces of parchment and roll it into a 10cm/4” circle
3. Lift the pastry and parchment into a 75cm/3’’ tart dish, pressing it into the shape and sides of the dish. Cut away any excess pastry.
4. Peel back the top layer of paper, prick the pastry a couple of times with a fork then replace the parchment.
5. Repeat for the remaining tarts.
6. Scatter ceramic baking beans (or rice or flour) over the parchment, spreading them all over the surface.
7. Stand the tart tins on an oven tray and bake for 12-15 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and carefully lift the top parchment paper and its contents off the pastry.
9. Return the tart dishes to the oven for a further 4-5 minutes to cook the pastry without browning it too much.
10. Take the dishes out of the oven and, holding the bottom layer of parchment, lift each warm pastry case from its dish and leave it to cool.

Filling

1. Break the chocolate into squares and put them into a mixing bowl.
2. Put the cream into a saucepan and heat it gently. As soon as bubbles start to appear remove the pan from the heat and pour the cream onto the chocolate.
3. Stir until the chocolate has all melted into the cream.
4. Add the syrup and stir to combine.
5. Divide the mixture between the blind baked pastry case(s) and leave to set.
6. When cold refrigerate or freeze until required.