Chocolate tarts

Chocolate tart with caramelised orange peel. Photo / Janna Dixon

Cream Cheese Pastry

1. Cut 100g of butter and 100g of cream cheese into chunks.

2. Process with a heaped cup of flour and a pinch of salt until blended.

3. Add ¼ cup of cream to pull the pastry together.

4. Remove from the processor, wrap in clingfilm and chill for an hour.

5. Before using, bring to room temperature. Roll out and fit into your flan dish or pie tin, prick the base with a fork and return to the fridge to rest for ½ hour.

Chocolate tarts

I lined large muffin tins with the pastry to make these. This recipe makes 12 tarts.

Filling

1. Bring a cup of cream and a cup of milk to boil.

2. Finely chop 500g of cooking chocolate. Remove cream and milk from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted.

3. Blend in 3 lightly beaten eggs.

4. Pour the mix into the pastry-lined tins.

5. Cook at 180C for 15 mins, until the pastry has cooked. Remove and cool to allow the filling to set.

Caramelised orange peel

1. Peel the zest from 6 oranges in long strips.

2. In a pot bring 3 cups of water and 2 cups of sugar to the boil.

3. Add a split vanilla pod if you have one.

4. Add the orange peel, turn down to simmer and cook until the peel is tender and the syrup thickened. Allow to cool at room temperature.

5. Garnish the tarts with the peel and serve some of the syrup on the plate. Offer whipped cream.

Notes:

Buy sweet short crust pastry if you don't want to make your own.

Make sure your oven is up to temperature before putting the tarts in.

Be careful with the sugar syrup, if you splash yourself it will burn badly.