Recipe: Eric Lanlard’s Raspberry & Chocolate Tart

As well as the decadent combination of dark chocolate and raspberries, the addition of the chocolate shortcrust pastry gives a three-dimensional taste and texture to this delicious recipe, courtesy of ‘Cake Boy’ Eric Lanlard…

Eric Lanlard, or ‘Cake Boy’, has become something of a baking celeb, with a high-profile clientele including Madonna and Sir Elton John. He’s given us his top-secret recipe for a gorgeous Raspberry & Chocolate Tart, which he teaches to students at his regular Chocolate Class…

Serves 6 | Preparation time: 25 minutes, plus chilling and cooling | Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 175g (6oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 50g (2oz) cocoa powder
• 50g (2oz) golden icing sugar
• 150g (5oz) unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 500g (1lb) raspberries icing sugar, for dusting

For the ganache

• 200g (7oz) dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 200ml (7fl oz) single cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 75g (3oz) unsalted butter

10 of the Best Cookery Courses in the UK & Ireland

Method

1. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and icing sugar together into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub in using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and gently mix together, then add the vanilla and combine to form a smooth dough. Cover with clingfilm and leave to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 190°C (fan 170°C)/375°F/gas mark 5. Lightly grease a 24cm (9½in) diameter tart tin. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and carefully use to line the tin. Cover with ovenproof clingfilm and prick a few holes to avoid pockets of air while it bakes. Fill the pastry case with baking beans and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the clingfilm and beans and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Leave to cool.

3. To make the ganache, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the surface of the water does not touch the bowl. Meanwhile, put the cream into a saucepan and heat until steaming hot, but do not let it boil.

4. Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and slowly pour in the cream, gently stirring the mixture. Add the vanilla, then the butter and stir together.

5. Pack the cooled pastry case with raspberries, saving a few for decoration. Pour the hot chocolate ganache over the raspberries to fill to the top of the pastry.

6. Leave to set in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

7. Serve decorated with the reserved raspberries dusted with a little icing sugar.

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