White Chocolate Tart with Summer Berries
I’ve a feeling this tart is going to become a bit of a Christmas tradition for us. Not that it has any traditional Christmas flavours to it, but I’ve made it for our annual Christmas Eve get together with some of our nearest and dearest and it has swiftly become a hit. Plus I’ve made it look like a Christmas wreath so I think it has rightfully earned its place on our Christmas dessert table. So easy to make and an added bonus: it will also leave you with some egg whites which you can use to make your Christmas pavlova (which definitely DOES belong on an Aussie Christmas table ;). Now, I should say (because I know a lot of people will go, ooooh no, I find white chocolate too sweet), it definitely is not too sweet, trust me. The addition of berries also freshens it up beautifully and cuts through the sweet. A truly beautiful tart, I promise! Please make it and let me know what you think.
Happy holidays!
Mel xoxo
White Chocolate Tart with Summer Berries
serves 10-12
Ingredients
Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
100g unsalted butter, softened
90g caster sugar
1 egg
250g plain flour
generous pinch of salt
Filling
360g pouring cream
270g good quality white chocolate, chopped into small pieces
6 egg yolks (freeze the whites for a later use)
1/2 tsp vanilla paste
Garnish
fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, red currants, cherries
fresh mint
Method
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, slowly cream the butter and sugar until just smooth. Add the egg and mix until just combined. Then add the flour and salt and mix until it the pastry comes together.
Shape the pastry into a disc and wrap in cling film. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Grease a loose bottomed tart tin or pastry ring. On a lightly floured bench, roll the pastry out into to a circle approx 5mm thickness. Gently pick up the dough and line the tart tin, pressing the pastry firmly into the base (if the dough tears, do not worry - you can easily patch it up with the dough scraps). Trim the excess dough from using a knife. Place the pastry in the fridge to rest for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 160C. To blind bake your tart shell, line the shell with baking paper and fill with baking weights, dried beans or rice. It is important that your baking weights reach the top of your pastry shell. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the paper and baking weights and return the shell to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool whilst you make the filling.
Reduce the oven to 130C.
Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to the boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Set aside for a minute or two to allow the chocolate to melt and then mix until smooth. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and vanilla together until smooth. Whilst continually whisking, pour the warm cream and chocolate mixture over the egg yolks. Return the mixture to the saucepan and heat gently over medium heat until the mixture thickens slightly, approx 5-8 minutes. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a jug to remove any eggy bits.
Place your empty tart shell on a baking tray and put in the oven. Pour the white chocolate cream mixture into the empty shell and gently and carefully push into the oven. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tart is set - it should still have a wobble in the centre. Allow to cool completely before transferring to the fridge.
Top with your choice of fresh berries and mint. Best served at room temperature.
Note: if you really want to make it easy on yourself you can use store bought pastry. Just make sure it’s a good butter sweet shortcrust, such as Careme.
