Chocolate Orange Tart: Shortcrust pastry with a light and creamy chocolate orange filling. The perfect make-ahead dessert!
Today’s recipe is brought to you from my sickbed. By which I mean I have a cold, am feeling sorry for myself and have been totally insufferable this weekend.
Honestly, if Ricky can put up with my blocked nose induced complaining, he can handle anything!
I had grand plans to get Christmas decorations up and make chocolates this weekend. Instead, I’ve spent the day on the sofa, wistfully remembering the days when I could breathe through my nose.
(Now would be a good time to get out your tiny violin…)
Anyway, a couple of weekends ago when I was feeling decidedly more alive, I made this Chocolate Orange Tart. The first attempt didn’t set properly, but with a couple of tweaks it turned out perfectly.
I find some chocolate tarts so dense and rich that you can hardly eat more than a couple of bites. This filling packs a punch in terms of flavour but is still light and creamy.
This Chocolate Orange Tart is going to be our dessert on Christmas Day this year (well, one of them – if ever there’s a time for multiple desserts, it’s Christmas!).
I’ll make it ahead of time so it’s one less thing to do on the day – ideal when you want maximum family/eating/drinking time!
Recipe Tips
- The base of the tart is shortcrust pastry. I was feeling l-a-z-y so opted for frozen Jus-Rol, but make your own if you prefer. Plus, since I read in Molly Yeh’s book that she never makes her own I feel more at peace with my shop-bought pastry ways.
- Since chocolate is the main flavour, I’d recommend using the best quality chocolate you can afford. I usually go for Lindt or Green & Black’s (70%) since they taste great without totally breaking the bank
- The filling is flavoured with orange zest – try to grate this as finely as possible for a smoother filling.
If this doesn’t quite satisfy your chocolate orange cravings, definitely check out my Chocolate Orange Bread Wreath. Making that baby was truly one of my proudest moments. So satisfyingly festive!
Ingredients
- 300g shortcrust pastry
- 150g caster sugar
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 300ml whole milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 1-2 oranges (zest only)
- 150g dark chocolate, broken into chunks
- 50g unsalted butter
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180c. Grease your pie tin with butter (see notes) and roll out the pastry.
- Line the tin with the pastry. Using a fork, prick holes in the bottom of the pastry.
- Blind bake for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through and slightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Make the filling: Mix the sugar, cornflour and salt together in a saucepan. Add the milk, egg yolks and orange zest and whisk together over a medium heat.
- Continue stirring until the mixture comes to a gentle boil and begins to thicken, about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add the chocolate, stirring until completely melted. Stir in the butter until all ingredients are combined.
- Pour into the pastry case, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set.
Notes
I used a 13x4.5 inch rectangular tin, but an 8 inch round tin will also work.
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
