CHOCKLIT!

I'm on a fast day, but - for some reason - found myself on the Hotel Chocolat website.

There are many, many things to drool over. Here is just one: a recipe for  

CHOCOLATE BAKEWELL TART

Ingredients

• Chocolate Pastry:
• 270g plain flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
• 30g Cocoa Powder, sifted
• 125g unsalted butter
• 30g sugar
• 1 egg, plus 1 extra, beaten, to glaze
• 2 tbsp milk (if needed)

• Filling:
• 225g unsalted butter, softened
• 225g caster sugar
• 225g ground almonds
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 50g plain flour, sifted
• Half a vanilla pod, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out
• 2 tbsp golden rum
• 130g Milk Chocolate Drops
• 5 tbsp cherry jam
• Flaked almonds, for sprinkling

• To make the chocolate pastry, put the flour, cocoa powder, butter, sugar and egg into a food processor and pulse until combined. If necessary, add a little milk to help bring the mixture together.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and roll out until large enough to line a 26cm tart tin or you could make individual tarts. Press the pastry into the tin, trim the top, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
• Line the pastry with greaseproof paper weighed down with baking beans or rice. Bake for 15-20 minutes until almost cooked at the sides.
• Remove the paper and beans and brush the pastry all over with beaten egg. Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes until golden-brown. Remove from the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
• To make the filling, beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Mix in the ground almonds then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition – don’t worry if the mixture begins to split.
• Fold in the flour and mix well. Fold in the vanilla seeds, rum and milk chocolate drops and mix until combined.
• Spread the jam over the base of the pastry case, leaving a 2.5cm gap around the edge. Spoon the filling mixture over the jam and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top
• Bake for 20 minutes or until set and golden-brown. Allow to cool in the tin before turning out and serving.

 Excuse me while I just go and hide in a corner and whimper...*

I was at the Canterbury branch of Hotel Chocolat recently, buying for birthdays. I bought three different things for Cathy: Chilli truffles, Kir Royale truffles and Raspberry-and-thyme truffles. I also bought something for Mr FD's birthday, but as he reads this, I won't spoil the surprise. I'll show you tomorrow (if I have time between lessons, making samosas and onion bhajis and icing his birthday cake!)

*Actually, this is a lie. I haven't eaten anything all day (except one dried apricot) and I'm just starting to feel like I'd like something to eat. I'm not whimpering at all!