Chocolate Chestnut Christmas Tart!

Christmas simply isn't complete without some sort of chocolate creation and this year's was an epic chocolate chestnut tart! The combination of crumbly chocolate pastry and silky filling is sublime and just a tiny sliver is enough to get you feeling festive though I assure you, one slice will lead to another..and another! But why not, it's Christmas!

(Original recipe is from the Waitrose December magazine - adapted from small tarts into a big one!)

Ingredients for the pastry

150g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

30g cocoa powder

1 tbsp caster sugar

100g unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

1 egg yolk

for the filling

200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

170g unsalted butter, softened

200g pack chestnut purée

65g icing sugar

Method

1. For the pastry, mix the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and a pinch of fine sea salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs (alternatively, pulse in a food processor). Add the egg yolk and 2 tbsp cold water. Using a blunt-edged knife, draw the mixture together. When it starts to clump, bring it together with your hands, adding a sprinkle of water to any dry patches. Knead lightly into a smooth disc. Wrap and chill for at least 20 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 190˚C, gas mark 5. Put 6 x 8cm fluted tart cases on a baking sheet. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to 0.3cm thick. Use a small bowl (about 12-13cm diameter) to cut out 6 circles (you’ll need to re-roll). Carefully line each case, letting any excess hang over the sides. Prick the bases, then line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the edges are dry, then remove the parchment and beans; bake for 5 minutes more, until the bases feel dry and sandy. Allow to cool to room temperature in the tins, then cut off the excess pastry with a serrated knife.

3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water until smooth and combined; allow to cool a little. In another bowl, use a wooden spoon to beat the chestnut purée and icing sugar until smooth (add 1 tbsp boiling water, if needed, to loosen). Fold in the chocolate mixture with a pinch of fine salt until smooth. Spoon into the cases and chill for at least 2 hours.