White chocolate and bitter marmalade tart
Its National Marmalade Week, so proving that this favourite orange conserve is not just something to spread on your toast, John's whipping up a marmalade and chocolate tarte - a bitter sweet treat for the weekend!
Recipe:
For the Pastry:50g caster sugar 100g unsalted butter 1 large egg 200g plain flour3g salt Or you could use 300g shop bought sweet pastry
For the filling:
150g marmalade 200g white chocolate 150g butter2 small eggs, separated 25g plain flour25g caster sugar
To finish:
1tbsp marmalade, gently warmed 100g white cooking chocolate, melted
Equipment:
23cm fluted tart tin Ceramic baking beans
Method:
To make the pastry, beat together the butter and sugar until the sugar has more or less dissolved into the butter. Add the egg and beat in until smooth, then throw in the flour and salt – use a knife or metal spoon to cut the flour into the butter. Once incorporated into a rough dough, tip out onto the counter top and knead for just a few seconds, into a smooth dough. Wrap in cling, flatten into a disk, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Roll out the pastry on a floured worktop until it is large enough to line the tart tin. Press the pastry firmly into the corner and grooves of the tin, then remove any excess by rolling the rolling pin over edge of the tart tin, cutting through the pastry. Chill for another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas mark 5. Line the pastry case with a sheet of baking paper and fill to the top of the tart tin with baking beans. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, remove the beans and paper, and bake for a further 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely then spread the marmalade onto the base of the blind-baked tart shell.
For the filling melt the butter and white chocolate together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water until glossy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, then beat in the egg yolks. Add the flour and beat in.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites to a thick foam then slowly add the sugar whilst whisking. Once the sugar is incorporated and you have a fairly stiff foam, stop – this wont be as stiff as a meringue mixture. Fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture, being careful not to deflate the whites.
Pour the mixture into the tart shell, on top of the marmalade, and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. The top of the tart should be a dark, golden brown, and the filling should be well set. As soon as the tart comes out of the oven paint the top with the warmed marmalade to create a gorgeous, shiny glaze.
For the white chocolate shavings, spread the melted cooking chocolate thinly onto the bottom of a clean baking tray. Allow it to set then using a knife scrape it into swirly shards.