posted May 19, 2019
new recipe 2018, supersedes all other chocolate pastry recipes

chocolate pastry

Sometimes sitting in the doctor’s surgery wishing they had magazines that weren’t three years old you find a gem and this pastry is just one of those recipes…slightly refined but pretty close to the original recipe!

Pictured above lining the tin with lemon pastry, same method is used for all types of pastry including this chocolate pastry.

90g soft brown sugar
90g icing sugar mixture
90g Valrohna cocoa powder
420g strong flour
250g COLD unsalted butter, cut into 1 cm cubes
50g honey
50g COLD egg yolk

  • Weigh the brown sugar, icing sugar mixture, cocoa powder and flour into the bowl of your food processor or Thermomix
  • Whisk the honey and egg yolk together
  • With the motor running add the butter to the dry ingredients and continue working until it is incorporated
  • Then with the motor running add the honey/egg yolk and work until it comes together
  • It takes approximately 250g of this pastry for a 28 cm shallow tart case and the batch makes 1kg. Divide the pastry into four, wrap one and leave it in a cool place for at least 60 minutes…flatten the remaining three pieces into a disk about 15 mm high. Refrigerate for at least one hour and then vac hard and date.
  • They will keep in the fridge for at least a month, but the pastry freezes very well. ALWAYS thaw overnight in the fridge.

To roll the pastry and prepare the tin

  • Using a soft brush and soft, but not melted unsalted butter, carefully brush the tin.
  • Cut the pastry into 4-5 pieces and roll it thinly on a marble slab. The tiniest bit of flour and a sheet of Freezer-go-Between on top.
  • Always rest the pastry for at least 30 minutes in the fridge before blind baking

blind baking

Pre heat the oven to 180°c

  • Put your ceramic pastry balls into a stainless steel bowl and put them in the oven…set at time for 20 minutes
  • In the meantime line the pastry with foil, shiny side down. Carefully press it against the edges and fold it over
  • When the timer goes immediately pou the pastry balls into the prepared tart and put it in the oven
  • Set a timer for 15 minutes
  • When the timer goes take the tart from the oven and carefully lift away the foil and then using the foil lift the pastry balls from the tart
  • Return the tart to the oven for 5-10 minutes until it is fully cooked
  • Cool standing on a rack

tip

Want to get ahead? If you have the time, the prepared, rolled and lined tins can be frozen and cooked on the day. 

Thaw overnight in the fridge [best] or at room temperature for 30-40 minutes depending on the day.