Chocolate Custard Tart
EASY 12 SERVES 25 MINS PREP 1 HOUR 25 MINS COOKING
Unlike many tarts that require the extra step of blind baking, this recipe simply requires a springform pan to be lined and then placed in the freezer until the custard goes in and it is then baked in the oven in one go. To prevent lumps forming whilst making the custard it’s really important to whisk the mixture continuously until it thickens, which also prevents it catching on the bottom.
Ingredients
Shortcrust Pastry
- 1 cup (150g) plain flour
- 3/4 cup (75g) hazelnut meal
- 1/4 cup (40g) icing sugar
- pinch salt
- 125g chilled unsalted butter, diced
- 1 extra-large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon cold water
Chocolate Custard
- 2 1/2 cups (625ml) full cream milk
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) thickened cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 3 extra-large eggs
- 3 extra-large egg yolks
- 1 cup (220g) raw caster sugar
- 1/2 cup (75g) cornflour, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 150g Haigh’s 70% Dark Chocolate Pastilles, quartered
- Cocoa powder, to dust
Method
- For the patry, place flour, hazelnut meal, sugar, and salt together in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add yolk and enough water to bring dough together. Place dough on a clean lightly floured surface and shape into a disk. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 38cm round. Carefully line a 23cm round springform pan, pressing dough into any gaps and trimming off any excess. Chill in freezer until required.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
- Combine milk, cream and vanilla together in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to just below boiling point before removing from heat.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, yolks, sugar, cornflour and salt, whisking to combine. Carefully pour hot milk mixture over egg mixture, whisking constantly to combine. Pour mixture back into saucepan over a medium-low heat, whisking constantly, to prevent bottom from catching. Whisk until mixture thickens, steam appears and custard starts releases big slow bubbles. Beat custard vigorously for 1 minute before removing from heat immediately. Add chocolate, stirring until melted and combined.
- Remove prepared tart shell from freezer and fill with chocolate custard, smoothing top with a spatula. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, before reducing oven temperature to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and bake for further 50 minutes. Remove tart from oven and place on wire rack to cool completely. Place tart in refrigerator overnight to cool completely before serving.
- To serve, run a spatula around edge of tart shell and carefully remove tart from pan. Place on a serving dish and dust with cocoa.
