Black Forest tart

Sweet cocoa pastry is filled with a rich, fruity filling of chocolate and cherries in this heavenly German gateau-inspired dessert

Prep:45 mins
Cook:55 mins
plus chilling

Serves 10
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 382
fat 22g
saturates 10g
carbs 38g
sugars 17g
fibre 2.7g
protein 6g
salt 0.5g

Ingredients

375g pack sweet shortcrust pastry, roughly chopped
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
3 large eggs, 1 separated
75g dark chocolate, broken up
75g milk chocolate, broken up
50g butter, diced
140g jam
85g golden caster sugar
couple of handfuls fresh cherries, pitted, plus extra to serve
icing sugar, to serve
crème fraîche, to serve

Tip

Preparation tips

If you haven’t got baking beans for blind-baking, use uncooked rice or dried beans instead. If you don’t have a cherry pitter, you can remove the stones with a metal piping nozzle. Simply place the nozzle on a flat surface, tip facing upwards, and firmly press the cherry onto the nozzle until the stone comes out of the top.

Vary the recipe

For an alcoholic kick, stir a splash of kirsch and a little icing sugar into the crème fraîche.

Method

Make chocolate pastry by pulsing the pastry, 2 tbsp cocoa and the vanilla in a food processor. Roll out on a lightly floured work surface until it is the thickness of a £1 coin and use to line a 22-23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Chill for 30 mins.
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Scrunch up a sheet of baking parchment, then flatten it out and press gently over the pastry. Pile in baking beans and blind-bake for 15-20 mins until the pastry is biscuity. Remove the parchment and beans and bake for 5 mins more until cooked through. Brush with egg white and return to the oven for 2 mins; this will help to keep the base crisp. Reduce oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and spread the jam over the base of the tart.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave, in short bursts on High, stirring in between, or in a bowl over – but not touching – a pan of barely simmering water. Whisk the eggs, egg yolk and sugar with an electric whisk for a full 10 mins until pale and thick. Take your time when beating the eggs and sugar - they should be mousse-like. Sieve the flour and remaining cocoa and fold in, together with the melted chocolate, using a big metal spoon.
Scrape into the tin and scatter over the cherries. Bake for 20-25 mins until the filling has slightly puffed but is still slightly wobbly when you shake it. Chill for 3 hrs or overnight, then sprinkle with a few cherries and a dusting of icing sugar. Serve with crème fraîche.