Also known as death by chocolate, this tart always reminds me of Ferrero Rocher. I love the simplicity of a tart where you can surprise people with the different flavours in the mixture.

Chocolate and hazelnut tart by Chef Adrian.

Chocolate and hazelnut tart

Serves six to eight

For the chocolate tuiles

2 eggs whites

90g caster sugar

55g plain flour

1 level tsp cocoa powder

55g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the shortcrust pastry

225g plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting

100g butter, cubed, at room temperature

Pinch of sugar

1–2 tablespoons of milk

For the chocolate tart mix

50g toasted hazelnuts

450g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

1 tsp cocoa powder

4 eggs

85g caster sugar

230ml cream

120ml milk

To serve:

Chocolate and hazelnut ice cream

Method

  • 1 You can make the tuiles a day or two in advance. Line a baking tray with a silicone liner. Put the egg whites and sugar in a bowl and lightly beat with a fork. Sift in the flour with the cocoa powder and stir to mix well. Add the butter and stir until evenly blended.
  • 2 Using a palate knife, spread a few thin strips of the tuile mix on the liner. Bake for seven to eight minutes until they are brown around the edges with a matt appearance. Leave to cool for a minute or two. While they are still pliable, lift each tuile with a palate knife and twist to resemble a pair of wings. Leave to cool and set. They will become crisp and brittle. Use all the mixture as these break really easy. The mixture normally makes 10 to 15. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
  • 3 When making the pastry, try to be confident and bring it together as quickly as you can. Don’t knead it too much or the heat from your hands will melt the butter. A good tip is to hold your hands under cold, running water beforehand to make them as cold as possible. That way you’ll end up with a delicate, flaky pastry every time.
  • 4 Sieve the flour from a height into a clean bowl and mix the sugar with it. Using your hands, work the cubes of butter into the flour and sugar by rubbing your thumbs against your fingers until you end up with a fine, crumbly mixture.
  • 5 If the pastry is too dry, add the milk to the mixture and gently work it together until you have a ball of dough. Flour it lightly. Don’t work the pastry too much at this stage or it will become elastic and chewy, not crumbly and short. Flour your work surface and place the dough on top. Pat it into a flat round, flour it again, lightly, and wrap it in cling film. Put it into the fridge to rest for at least half an hour.
  • 6 Preheat the oven to 180°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Roll out the pastry and line a 25cm loose-bottomed tart tin with it, then line the pastry with some scrunched up parchment paper or heatproof cling film. Fill it with either baking beans, rice or dried marrowfat peas. A top tip is to fill this to the brim, otherwise the sides will shrink. Bake it blind for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and take out the lining you’ve used to bake it blind. Bake for a further five to 10 minutes in the oven until crispy. Take it out and allow to cool.
  • 7 For the chocolate filling, start by pulsing the hazelnuts in a food processor until they are coarsely chopped. Place the chocolate, cocoa powder, eggs and sugar in a bowl.
  • 8 Boil the cream and milk together. Pour the hot milk-cream mix over the chocolate mix and whisk until smooth, then pass through a sieve. Once passed through a sieve add in the hazelnuts.
  • 9 Pour this mixture into the pastry case and bake at 90ºC/225ºF/gas mark ¼ for 30–40 minutes, or until there’s a slight wobble in the centre. Leave to cool, then place into the fridge until ready to serve.
  • 10 To plate, cut the tart how you like. I like to cut mine into rectangles as it looks more elegant. Lay a portion on a plate and place a tuile and a neat scoop of chocolate and hazelnut ice cream on top.
  • Savour Kilkenny 2018.

    Savour Kilkenny 2018.

    Savour Kilkenny

    Kilkenny is the destination for food lovers this weekend for Savour Kilkenny, one of the last food festivals of the year, before we embrace the festive food events. Taking place over five days from Thursday 25 to Monday 29 October, there will be plenty of cooking inspirations with demos from chefs and food experts such as The Happy Pear, Edward Hayden and Rosanna Davison as well as Derval O’Rourke, Domini and Peaches Kemp and Kevin Thornton.

    It’s the two-day market that makes these tastes accessible to all. Taking place on the Saturday and Sunday on the city centre’s Parade, the focal point for the festival will feature 100 stalls showcasing a wide selection of wonderful artisan food from all corners of the country.

    Another exciting addition to this year’s festival is the Tours, Trails and Workshops Programme – this includes several interesting and unique events which are focused on Irish heritage and the natural environment.

    Some of the events featured as part of this line up include, Introduction to Beekeeping, Savour Kilkenny by Bicycle (a fun cycling tour of the festival), Introduction to Butchery and an Organic Orchard Distillery Taste Tour.

    www.savourkilkenny.com