CHOCOLATE SWEET PASTRY

If you want to make your chocolate tart even more chocolatey, this chocolate shortcrust pastry recipe is for you!

Makes one 28 cm (11¼ inch) tart, two 23 cm (9 inch) tarts, twelve 10 cm (4 inch) tarts, or twenty 8 cm (3¼ inch) tarts

535 g (1 lb 3 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature

165 g (5¾ oz/1¹/₃ cups) icing sugar mixture, sifted

5 g (¹/₈ oz/1 teaspoon) salt

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

1 egg

600 g (1 lb 5 oz/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

70 g (2½ oz) unsweetened cocoa powder

Place the butter, icing sugar, salt and vanilla seeds in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until combined. Add the egg and mix until combined.

Sift the flour and cocoa together. Add to the mixture and use a large spoon to combine.

Form into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours before using, to allow the gluten to relax.

To make one 28 cm (11¼ inch) tart shell, two 23 cm (9 inch) tart shells, twelve 10 cm (4 inch) tart shells, or twenty 8 cm (3¼ inch) tart shells, roll out the pastry as directed for the shortcrust pastry.

Line the tins and blind-bake the tart shell/s following the sweet shortcrust pastry instructions.

Allow to cool, then fill the tarts as required.