Recipe: Michaels Rich chocolate tart

For the pastry:
250g plain flour
100g diced butter
100g icing sugar
Pinch of salt
Two eggs at room temperature

For the filling:
400g good-quality cooking milk chocolate
200ml milk
300ml double cream
Seven eggs
70g caster sugar

For the glaze:
300ml water
350g sugar
120g cocoa powder
240ml double cream

To make the pastry, sift the flour into a bowl and add the diced butter. Using the fingertips, lift the butter up with the flour and rub gently with the fingers, letting it fall back into the bowl.
Once the mixture resembles a uniform crumble, add the sugar and salt and mix well. Then add the eggs and mix again, carefully bringing the mixture together to form a smooth ball. Wrap it in cling film and place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 190°C (gas mark 5). Roll out the pastry enough to line an 8in flan dish, trim to fit and prick the base with a fork a few times. To bake blind, cover the pastry on the bottom and sides of the flan with foil and weigh it down with a handful of dried beans or pasta. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove and cool. Turn the oven down to 140°C (gas mark 1).

To make the filling, break up the chocolate and place in a mixing bowl. Put the milk and cream in a saucepan, bring to the boil, pour over the chocolate and mix. Place a small mixing bowl containing the eggs and caster sugar over a pan of simmering water. Whisk while it’s heating until it turns white and thickens. Fold the egg and sugar mixture into the chocolate with a large metal spoon using a cutting action rather than stirring them together.
Pour the mixture into the pastry flan case and bake for 20 minutes (turning the tray after 10 minutes). Allow to cool and then refrigerate until firm.

For the glaze, bring the water and sugar to the boil in a saucepan. Add the cocoa and cream, bring to the boil again and allow to reduce for 10 to 15 minutes, whisking occasionally. Do this until it looks like melted chocolate. Allow to cool a little and pour the glaze over the tart, smooth with a pallet knife and allow to set.
For a final flourish you could use a blow torch to “dust” the top of the glaze – one second should do it, otherwise you’ll melt the tart. When serving, to get a smooth cut, use a knife that has been dipped in hot water and dried.

Recipe: Fish stock

This week i have recieved a message requesting a recipe for fish stock, This is a basic recipe but works well.

Fish stock
White fish bones, do not use oily fish
Two sticks of celery
One chopped white onion
One leek chopped
One chopped fennel
One star anise
Three black peppercorns
500 ml white wine
Two litres cold water

Place all the ingredients except the wine into a large pan and bring to the boil
Turn down the heat once boiling and simmer for one hour
Pass through a fine sieve and pour into a clean pan
Add the wine and reduce by half
Allow to cool and store