Cherry and chocolate tart

Babiche Martens

This cherry and chocolate tart will make your mouth water. It’s not too sweet and is the perfect end to a meal. A little cocoa in the pastry adds a touch of decadence. The almond essence is optional, but a blob of whipped cream or Greek yoghurt to serve is a must. I also make this tart with plums or, when in season, quartered figs.

Pastry

160 g	Flour
2 Tbsp	Cocoa powder
100 g	Cold butter, cubed
2 Tbsp	Caster sugar
1	Egg
2 Tbsp	Water

Filling

300 g	Cherries, halved and stoned (Main)
¼ cup	Brandy
¼ cup	Caster sugar
200 ml	Cream
200 g	Dark chocolate, cut into small bits (Main)
2	Eggs
¼ tsp	Almond essence
8 servings	Whipped cream, or yoghurt, to serve

Directions

1. Heat an oven to 180C.
2. First make the pastry — place the flour, cocoa, butter and sugar into a processor. Blitz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and water and mix to form a dough.
3. Roll the dough on a lightly floured bench and line a 23cm tart tin. Cool the pastry shell in the fridge for 20 minutes then bake blind for 20 minutes until cooked.
4. For the filling, combine the cherries with the brandy and sugar in a bowl.
5. Heat the cream to boiling point, remove from the heat then add the chopped chocolate, stirring until completely smooth. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then add the eggs, one at a time, and the almond essence.
6. Place the cherry mix in the base of the tart. Pour over the smooth chocolate mixture. Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes.
7. Cool completely before serving sliced with a dollop of whipped cream.

See Angela's other recipes using summer fruit

Apricot sorbet

Grilled fruit with cashew and coconut crumb