Sunday 2 September 2012

Chocolate and peanut butter tart – 5th bloggiversary celebration





This tart is possibly one of the most professional looking things I’ve made.  I think it’s the marbling on top of the peanutty white chocolate through the dark.




The peanut butter and white chocolate melted together was a test of my willpower, in that I wanted to eat it by the spoonful straight from the microwave!




Usually, when a recipe calls for dark chocolate I use a mix of dark and milk to sweeten it.  I didn’t here because this tart is all about the dark chocolate/salty peanut contrast.  The white chocolate adds some sweetness but this is a rich, dark tart which packs a sophisticated punch of flavour.  In this shot I think you can see the three layers of pastry, white choc/peanut butter, dark chocolate:




I had my doubts about the pastry when I made it, and even when I took it from the fridge to roll.  It is dry, and it is a little crumbly, but once you start rolling it behaves.  There is just enough pastry to line the tin so don’t panic – it’s thin and biscuity.




Five years.  I’ve been blogging for five years now.  Those five years have changed my life beyond measure – when I started blogging I hadn’t even met Mr CC, now I can’t imagine life without him.  The five years have contained extreme highs and devastating lows but the constant thing in my life has been baking – however silly that sounds.  My routine of Friday or Saturday bake, Sunday blog has pretty much been set in stone barring holidays and work travel, and even then I’ve tried to post, just maybe on a different day. 




Thank you for visiting my site and leaving your lovely comments; I hope you find enjoyment in what you find – whether it’s using the recipes to create your own delights, or merely treating it like a cake shop and window shopping!




I suppose it is a bit weird to photograph everything you bake (and then assume other people will want to see it!).  All I can say is that I’ll know it’s time to stop when a photo like this doesn’t excite me any more:






Ingredients

For the pastry:
200g plain flour
80g unsalted butter, cold
40g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1-2 tablespoons cold water – I needed 2

For the dark chocolate filling:
200ml double cream
250g dark chocolate, broken into chunks – I used Green & Blacks 70% dark chocolate
1 tablespoon golden syrup
50g unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 egg yolk

For the white chocolate filling:
100g white chocolate, broken into chunks
100g smooth peanut butter

Method

Start by making the pastry: Place the flour, butter and sugar into the food processor and blitz until you have fine crumbs.  Alternatively, use the rubbing in method i.e.  rubbing the butter and flour through your fingertips until the ingredients incorporate into crumbs.

Add the egg yolk and blitz again.

Add the water, a tablespoon at a time, and pulse the processor until the mixture forms wet clumps.

Tip out onto a sheet of clingfilm and – handling as little as possible – form into a ball.

Flatten into a disc, wrap in the clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  (I made it the night before and left it in the fridge – it’s fine!)

Roll out the pastry between two sheets of clingfilm.  At first it will seem too crumbly but persevere and, as the pastry warms, it will behave.  You will need to roll it thin to line the tin.

Take a 23cm loose bottomed flan tin and line it with the pastry.  Patch as needed.

Prick the bottom several times with a fork and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/390°F/gas mark 6.

Line the pastry with baking paper or non stick foil, and weigh down with baking beans.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.

Remove the beans and foil and return the exposed pastry case to the oven for a further 5 minutes, or until it is a light golden brown.

Leave to cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C/ fan oven 140°C/320°F/gas mark 3

Now make the dark chocolate filling: place the cream, chocolate, golden syrup and butter in a saucepan and gently heat to melt the ingredients.

Stir frequently and don’t wander off and leave it!

When all the ingredients have melted i.e. you can’t feel any more lumps of chocolate, remove from the heat and leave to cool a little.

When cool, beat in the eggs and yolk and stir with gusto to incorporate.  At first the chocolate will refuse to accept the eggs but suddenly you will feel the mix thicken and come together.
Put to one side.

Now make the white chocolate filling: place the ingredients in a dish, cover and microwave.  I gave it 30 second bursts and stirred after each.  In total, it only took just over a minute to melt.  Alternatively, you can melt them in a bowl, over a pan of simmering water.

Spoon 2/3s of the white chocolate mixture into the bottom of the pastry case.

Pour the dark chocolate mixture over it taking care to be gentle – you don’t want to disturb the white chocolate layer.

Level the surface then spoon over the remaining white chocolate.

Using a skewer swirl the white chocolate so it is evenly distributed across the dark chocolate.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until set.  Mine took 25 minutes.

Leave to cool.

Refrigerate until you wish to serve.  I served with thick cream.

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.

Eat.

38 comments:

Cakefairyblog said...

Happy 5 years! I love reading your blog. You always have exciting recipes and easy to read tips!

Lisa Shannon said...

Happy Anniversary CC!!
Reading your blog at 5pm on a Sunday has become my routine too, my girls and I even speculate as to what it is you may have baked. Then, more often than not I bake it the following Saturday. You and your lovely blog really are a part of our lives (I think you found that out last summer with the birthday card thingy! haha!!). Thank you and congratulations on this milestone.
Best wishes Lisa x
P.S. This tart will definately be on next week's menu - resistance is futile!!

Soo said...

Five years!!! Congratulations!! Here's to five more.

And tart looks so so so good. Chocolate and peanut butter is a match made in heaven....

Dipika @ The Very Hungry Baker said...

Happy bloggiversary! This tart looks like a most excellent way to celebrate! :o)

Unknown said...

That looks super delicious! Happy 5 years! Xx

Kate@whatkatebaked said...

Happy Bloggoversary! Similar to Lisa, my Sunday nights aren't complete without popping over to see whats been baking in the CC kitchen. Thank you for bringing five whole years of cake-related joy to all your avid readers..here's to the next five!

Hello said...

Happy 5 years of blogging! Your tart looks delicious x

Unknown said...

Happy Bloggiversary!!

Thank you for sharing all your wonderful baking!! I use your blog for recipe inspiration, to cheer up a Sunday evening and as a source of food porn.

Like you I photograph all my baking, which looks much better since you recommended the Lakeland piping nozzles and blue icing bags - so thank you for that too!

As for this weeks post - it is DEFINITELY on my "To Bake" list!!

Here's to the next 5 years! xx

Baking Addict said...

Congratulations on 5 years of blogging!! Wow I can't believe it's been that long. This is the perfect tart to celebrate - it looks delicious, decadent and sophisticated. Plus you can't go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter!

Janine said...

When I read the title I was immediately excited! The tart looks delicious, and congrats on five years of blogging.

Unknown said...

Looks fantastic! Well done on five years of blogging.

Victory Rolls & Mixing Bowls said...

Happy bloggiversary! This looks amazing I love peanut butter and chocolate. I love reading your posts on the weekend :) never stop!

Jacqueline Meldrum said...

Oh for goodness sake don;t stop. That tart is the best thing I have seen in a while. I am sitting here imagining sinking my teeth into a slice.

ps time for a name now?

x

Cakeyboi said...

Congratulations on your 5 years! And this bake is almost like a pressie to me! PB and chocolate are my favourite flavour combo - this could be very very dangerous!! Thank you :)

Marialuisa said...

Congratulations on your 5th year.
You must be happy, I´m reading you from Spain, yes!!, across the atlantic!!!...this blogging world is amazing.
Love from Spain
Marialuisa

Gloria Baker said...

what lovely and nice tarta CC look yummh and adorable!
happy blog anniversary dear!:)

Unknown said...

This looks amazing! I made peanut butter cup cupcakes the other day and i'm officially in love with peanut butter baking aha! x

cocoa and coconut said...

Wow this looks absolutely divine! Very rich which is perfect for the ocassion...congrats on your 5 years. What an achievement for you and pleasure for us!

Kezia said...

Wow, that looks absolutely stunning!
Happy bloggiversary, and thank-you for all the amazing recipes you have given us - I have used so many and they have all turned out wonderfully:)

Unknown said...

I'm not even sure I have the words to describe that tart!!! Mine will look nothing like yours but I will be attempting it!! Congrats on the blog, you are my first port of call for any kind of sweet baking! Better than any cookbook xx

Sarah said...

Congratulations!

And oh my gosh that looks absolutely AMAZING!

I need to make it. And then eat it all.

Nickki said...

Happy 5th Blogiversary! :-) I really enjoy your blog and look forward to every single post. Here's to the next 5 years!

This tart looks like heaven! Peanut butter and chocolate are one of my favourite combinations, I must give this one a try soon :-)

The Middle Ages said...

Oh yum yum! Happy anniversary - cheers! x

Maggie said...

5 happy years CC! Great bake to celebrate with too.

Katie said...

Hurrah! Long may you continue. That tart looks divine, I adore dark choc and peanut butter together. The pgoto of the bite on the fork makes me want to dive right in

Debs Dust Bunny said...

What a scrummy looking tart! I know it tastes as good as it looks because chocolate and p-nut butter can't be beat! Thanks for another amazing recipe!

anon said...

congratulations on your blog's longevity, 5 years is quite an achievement. now, that is one posh-looking tart, it looks lush. long may your cakey crusading continue!

Cybèle said...

Congratulations! I love your blog and your recipes - they always work (in fact, I often get comments that they're prize winners). I don't take the credit - I just refer them to your site :-)

Unknown said...

Congratulations! I do love your blog - the whole concept is brilliant and you write really well (oh and those recipes ain't half bad either!)
This tart looks utterly addictive - though after making a peanut butter pie of my own recently I have had to go cold turkey on the old PB or I will need open heart surgery before the weekend. I'll content myself with ogling the pictures. Here's to your next five years (and Mr CC)!

Lucy said...

Happy Bloggiversary! I love reading your posts on a Sunday and looking forward to many more. Amazing tart :)

Snowy said...

Happy 5th Anniversary, and this tart looks excellent. Love your blog.

Choclette said...

Happy happy, belated, blogiversary and many congratulations. five years seems like a very long time. Very much hoping those bakes and pictures continue to excite you for a very long time to come - they certainly excite me.

This tart is another must and I've bookmarked it just in case I happen to forget!!!

Claudine Slater said...

First of all, happy bloggiversary! Secondly, I tried this yesterday and I want to thank you so much. It gave me an hour of fun in the kitchen with my daughters, and it tasted divine. We ate half yesterday, it was still slightly warm, and the second half today, a perfect ending to a perfect barbeque. I must say, when chilled it tastes nicer. Huge thanks...you gave us a new family favourite. Next time I'll try throwing in some salted peanuts in as well. The saltiness of the peanut butter with the dark chocolate concoction is simply heaven!

Caroline said...

Happy (belated!) bloggiversary! Yours was one of the first blogs I started reading and really inspired me, so thank you and keep it going! The tart looks utterly amazing and the peanut butter-chocolate combo is definitely one I need to explore further!

Jo said...

Happy blogging anniversary! Here's to many more years of happy baking! I must admit, in a Bruce Forsyth type fashion, that your blog is one of my favourites. I always look forward to seeing what you've baked each weekend.

Your tart looks beautiful! I love the marbly swirl.

sensibilia said...

Congratulations on your 5th anniversary! I look forward to reading your posts, and particularly enjoy the fabulous photos. Each and every one of your pictures makes my mouth water, even if I have no intention of making the confection! (As in this case, I am alergic to peanuts). You bring pleasure to this one corner of the universe.

Cakelaw said...

Happy blogiversary! I am happy to stay weird and blog with you. This tart is da bomb!

Susie @ Fold in the Flour said...

Oh dear, I can't believe I missed this! A belated Happy Blogiversary! 5 years is amazing - I love reading your posts and this tart is the perfect way to celebrate. It looks fantastic, and I can just imagine you with the white chocolate and peanut butter mix - it sounds delish! Well, here's to the next 5 years then ;)