Caramel, chocolate and macadamia nuts are a winning combination in this delectable dessert.
INGREDIENTS
Sweet pastry
250 g butter
500 g plain flour
Pinch salt
150 g pure icing sugar sifted
4 egg yolks
50 ml iced water
Gold leaf sheets
Ganache
200 g bitter dark chocolate
200 g pure cream
Caramel
200 g billingtons dark muscovado sugar
150 ml pure cream
100 g butter
150 g roasted peeled, crushed macadamias
TO MAKE
Pastry
Cut butter into small pieces. Swift flour and salt onto work surface. Make a well in the centre, add butter and sugar and gently work together with fingertips. Add the yolks and gradually draw in the flour, adding drops of water as you go. When all the flour has been used, form dough into a ball. Do not over work. Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for approx 2 hours. Roll out and line a rectangular 34cm x 10cm tart case, blind bake for 15-18 minutes at 175C. Allow to cool.
Ganache
Place chocolate and cream together in saucepan and heat over a low heat. Stir until mixture is smooth, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Caramel
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil, then turn down and simmer for 8 minutes. Allow to cool. Then mix enough caramel into the crushed macadamias to make a paste.
To assemble
Place macadamias and caramel mixture into the bottom of the pastry case. Pour the ganache over the caramel and refrigerate until needed. Slice tart, garnish with gold leaf and dust with icing sugar.
Recipe courtesy of Black Pearl Epicure gourmet food wholesale, retail and cooking school.
