Dark Chocolate Easter Torte
- For the Chocolate Pastry
- 150g Unsalted Butter, softened
- 100g Caster Sugar
- 1 Large egg, beaten
- 30g Cocoa powder
- 275g Plain Flour
- For the Filling
- 300ml Double Cream
- 50g Caster Sugar
- A pinch of Maldon Salt, plus extra to garnish
- 50g Unsalted Butter
- 200g Dark Chocolate, broken into pieces
- 50ml Whole Milk
Start by making the pastry by beating together the butter and caster sugar together until combined – you don’t need to whip until it’s light and fluffy though, only until the two are combined.
Next add in the egg and mix until combined. In another bowl mix together the plain flour and the cocoa powder, then sieve this in batches to the butter mixture. Bring the pastry dough together until smooth and cohesive and then clingfilm and place into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
After it has chilled for 30 minutes, take the pastry out of the fridge, and carefully line a 23cm fluted tart tin and prick the base with a fork. Place the lined tart tin into the fridge and chill again for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C.
Fill the chilled tart case with baking paper and baking beans, and place on a tray in the oven to blind back for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and then return to the oven for a further five to 10 minutes until it has a chalky texture and is no longer greasy. Remove from the oven and set aside.
To make the filling, put the cream, sugar and Maldon Salt in a pan and bring to scalding point. Once the sugar has dissolved but before the cream starts to boil, take it off the heat and add the butter and broken chocolate. Allow it to sit for a minute before whisking it together to form a smooth ganache. Then add the milk and stir again, it should be lovely and smooth and glossy.
Pour the filling into your tart case and use the back of a spoon to create peaks in the chocolate. Allow the filling to set at room temperature for approximately one hour. Once set, sprinkle over some remaining Maldon Salt for garnish and then serve.
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