chocolate and walnut tart with salted caramel sauce

It was a night suffused with the vibrancy of young love and tales of adventures to farflung destinations.  In honour of Arthur's niece's recent graduation (bravo Anastasia!) and another's return from medical training in Cape Town and Berlin I hosted a soiree. It consisted of bringing out a range of shared plates.  Anastasia's handsome beau attended too and periodically took time out from his state of ardour to exclaim that it was 'amazing'.  Which was endearing and humbling for moi.  But I suppose I wasn't humble enough not to chronicle it!

Preparing and serving plates of different dishes admittedly is time consuming for the host however I've always adhered to the adage that 'variety is the spice of life'.  And this style of eating is, I've noticed, becoming increasingly popular in Melbourne.  There were a couple of meat dishes like pork and fennel meatballs, Cypriot loukanika and turkey fillets saturated in port, figs and star anise and Bulgarian cheese pastries (recipes of which will be duly posted).   But by far the dish that inspired the most acclaim was this dessert which I composed from various recipes.   The salted caramel sauce is from a free food magazine from Woolworths.  The sweetness of the salted caramel complements the intensity of the chocolate tart.  If I had it my way, I would have used just 85% cocoa rather than a combination of milk and ultra-dark chocolate.  But this combination suits most tastes.....

For the walnut pastry
100g shelled walnuts
55g sugar
150g plain flour
125g chilled unsalted butter, chopped
1 egg yolk

Chocolate filling
150ml thick cream
150ml milk
220g chocolate, chopped (100g dark choc and the rest milk)
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract

Salted caramel sauce
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup water
125g unsalted water
1/2 cup thickened cream
2 tsp sea salt flakes

To make pastry, process walnuts, sugar, flour and 1/2 tsp salt until finely ground.  Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.  Combine egg yolk and 2 tbs iced water in a bowl, then add to walnut mixture and process until mixture is just incorporated.  Form into a ball, shape into a disc and cover in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30mins.

Preheat oven to 180degrees.  Grease a fluted tart tin and roll pastry disc onto a lightly floured surface till it reaches a diameter where it can line the tin with extra pastry extending over the edge.  Chill the pastry case for at least 20 mins before baking.  If you choose to freeze the pastry, it can still be baked when frozen.  Line the pastry case with foil and fill this with dried beans or chick peas.  Bake for 15 mins then remove the foil and weights and bake for an additional 5 mins.

While pastry case is baking make the chocolate filling.  In a saucepan, bring the cream and milk to the boil.  Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate and leave until the chocolate melts, then add the yolks and vanilla and beat until mixed.  Pour into the warm tart shell (according to Stephanie Alexander pouring warm or hot liquid into a warm pastry case prevents liquid seeping).  Bake for a further 20 mins and let rest for at least 1 hour before serving.   It is tres magnifique serve chilled with the hot caramel sauce poured over.  A quenelle of home made vanilla icecream placed artfully on the side is an optional extra!

Concoct caramel sauce by heating sugar and water in a medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves.  Add butter and slowly bring to the boil.  Simmer until caramel is  a rich, golden brown.  Remove from heat and carefully stir in cream.  Return to low heat, then add salt.  Whisk until smooth.  Keep warm.