Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Very Moist Chocolate Walnut Tart Recipe


Hello from the Beach House.

I've had some free time to bake this Very Moist Chocolate Walnut Tart this week.  Why?
Because I've had a boy at school camp.  Not having to drive him to extra curricular activities, has freed me up somewhat.  What a breath of fresh air that has been.

I've also been using the extra time to try and save a bit of money searching online, for cheaper text

book options for next year.  The prices on the list sent to me in advance, from The Beach House Brat's new high school are top dollar and I know I can do better.  I am sure he's going to love his new school and I am equally sure, my cheque book will not.  

My goodness, bring on the digital revolution in text books stat. Digital verses hard copy, represents a more than 50% discount, but sadly at this stage the 'either or option' is only offered in science.  In all the other subjects, we have to buy both the book and the CD.  The 'either or option' has a price differential of around $30, so I am looking forward to the day when all the text books are offered in CD and ebook form only.  I am sure the kids would appreciate the reduction in heavy lifting required as well.  



Another way I saved a few bucks this week, was whipping up this fabulous chocolate tart to take to a dinner party.  Rather than paying $30 or $40 at the French Patisserie for something very similar, I thought I'd make it instead.  Hell I have big travel plans for the rest of my life, so I am trying to save anywhere I can.

 OK it probably would have been prettier if I had bought it, but I was told mine tasted better than the beautiful chocolate dessert our host had had in a restaurant, the night before.  So that was a small coup for me.


If it's possible to get excited about a chocolate tart, well I am excited.  This is so easy, it's almost criminal.  The wow factor to effort ratio is low.  That is why the recipe has made it onto the blog.  It's fabulous.  Aldi have been selling some really good quality cooking chocolate as part of their Christmas range and I now have quite a bit of it in stock.  Using the best ingredients you can afford in home cooking, goes a long way to creating beautiful food I think.

Look at the moist texture.  Boy did she slide down superbly.  She was more chocolate than sugar, which really suited my taste in dessert.
I hope you will try this recipe as a Christmas celebration cake.  Your guests will think you are very clever.



Very Moist Chocolate Walnut Tart Recipe
Serves 10

1x 250g/9oz packet of chocolate biscuits.  I used Arnotts Chocolate Ripple
1 cup of walnuts
125g/4.5oz butter melted
1/2 cup thickened cream
200g/9oz dark chocolate 70% cocoa if possible
125g/4.5oz butter, extra, chopped
4 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
Icing sugar to dust
Whipped cream and strawberries to serve

Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
Line the base of a 24 cm (base measurement) loose base fluted tart tin. Also grease it with light olive oil spray.
Process biscuits and walnuts to a fine crumb.
Pour in melted butter to the biscuit mix and process again to combine.
Press the biscuit mixture into prepared tart tin and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate, extra butter and cream in a saucepan, over a moderate heat.
Slowly pour in the brown sugar and stir until it melts.  (About 2 minutes).  Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Beat the eggs with electric beaters until pale.(1-2 minutes)
Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the beaten egg mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon, to combine.
Pour into prepared tart tin and cook for 40 minutes, or until the mixture is firm in the middle.
Remove from the oven and cool in the tin completely before decanting onto a cake plate.
The tart will rise in the oven slightly due to the amount of beating you do to the eggs.  Don't worry, it will fall again as it cools.
Dust with icing sugar.
Serve with strawberries and whipped cream.


For more Christmas baking ideas, check this out.

If you would like Desire Empire posts to come straight to your inbox every ten days or so, you can sign up here for my Newsletter.

You can pin any of these shots by hovering over the shot and clicking on the  'P'.

You can also find me on

5 comments :

  1. Wow this sounds great Carolyn - would make a great alternative for my guests who aren't plum pudding fans at Xmas! Will try very soon. Just a query - is the oven temp for a fan forced oven?
    Many thanks Cindy F

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No it's for a conventional oven. My Meile oven is fan forced, but still has the temp set at 180C. That was confusing when I first started using it.

      Delete
  2. that looks divine - and I think homemade always look better than store bought - something stunning and delicious in the slight imperfection. You have saved me hours of trawling through recipe books - I need to take a cake to a friends on the weekend and THIS IS IT - signed up to your regular blog posts now too - so if you might be so kind as to keep the occasional recipe coming I will be very grateful...thank you x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for signing up Monique. I hope the tart goes well and have a great weekend.

      Delete
  3. Looks like my last comment disappeared! Thanks for sharing the recipe. Looks absolutely delicious. Maybe I'l make this as the dessert for Christmas lunch.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...