WHITE CHOCOLATE TART WITH BERRY JAM



White chocolate tart with berry jam

I love baking, and I consider tarts to be the perfect 'occasion' dessert. Tarts make you feel special in a way that's different to a cake, and I attribute that to the pastry element. The effort really does go a long way. This tart has always been special because it is my Mum's 'Mother's Day Tart'. (Though it's so delicious and easy that we make it at other times of the year, too.) Feel free to use milk or dark chocolate if you prefer, this is one of those recipes you can adapt to suit your family.


What you'll need:
Pastry:
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
125 butter, cubed
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon cold water

Filling:
250g good-quality white chocolate
1 cup thickened cream
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Berry coulis:
250g berries (whatever you like)
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon gelatine powder
1 tablespoon warm water
Whipped cream, to serve

What to do:
Begin by making the pastry. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until everything comes together to form a dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes or until you have a smooth ball. Shape pastry into a disc, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Roll the pastry out between two sheets of non-stick baking paper to a round that is at least 3mm thick. Remove one sheet of paper and flip the pastry into the prepared pan. Gently peel the paper from the pastry and then lift the edges of the pastry up and press them into each groove of the pan. Trim any excess pastry, and use this excess to patch up any holes.

Gently place your sheet of baking paper back on top of the pastry and fill it with raw rice or pastry weights. Bake for 15 minutes or until just golden, and remove the rice or weights. Bake for a further 5 minutes.

While the tart shell is baking, make the filling. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the white chocolate, thickened cream and caster sugar. Once smooth and glossy, remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Whisk in the eggs.

Pour the white chocolate mixture into the cooked tart shell. Bake for 30 minutes, or until just set. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before carefully removing the tart from the pan.

While the tart is cooling, combine the sugar and berries and bring to the boil. Combine the gelatine and warm water and add to the berries. Boil for 5 minutes and allow to cool.

Serve the tart with coulis and whipped cream, and enjoy!