Forrest Gump (Chocolate) Tart

Valli Little - "I couldn't resist the name. Even if life is like a box of chocolate [you never know what you're going to get], it always seems a lot better after a slice of this tart!"

I couldn't resist the name too. I saw this tart from Valli Little's Quick Smart Cook and I knew I had to make it for this Easter. I didn't use the recipe from her cookbook. Instead, I used my favourite sweet shortcrust pastry recipe from Bill Granger and adapted the chocolate filling from the best chocolate hazelnut tart recipe from Anthony Bourdain.

My last week started off badly with news of two families I know were stricken by tragedy. One had a heart attack and the other had a stroke. Both of them are perfectly healthy people. The former is a skinny 40 something woman and the later being a 9 years old school girl.

I can't stop thinking of them and praying for them and their families as I am typing out this post. This also brings out my favourite quotes from Forrest Gump movie:

Forrest Gump: My momma always said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

Mrs. Gump: You have to do the best with what God gave you.

Forrest Gump Tart Recipe
Serves 8

Ingredients

8 ounces / 225 g dark chocolate, chopped
3 ounces / 75 g butter
2 cups / 450 ml heavy cream
2 egg yolks
1 pre-baked 35cm x 12cm rectangular tart shell (sweet shortcrust pastry recipe follows)

Method

1. Place the chopped chocolate in the mixing bowl and add the butter.
2. In the small pot, bring the cream to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat and pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and butter. Let sit for 5 minutes, then add the yolks and mix well. Pour the mixture into the tart shell.
3. Chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours until set. This is a picture of the set tart:

   

4. Transfer the tart to a serving platter, dust with cocoa, then gently press the chocolates into the filling. Slice and serve with coffee.

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

250 g (9 oz / 2 cups) plain flour
125 g (4 1/2 oz) icing (confectioners') sugar
A pinch of salt
180 g (6 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
60 ml (2 fl oz / 1 /4 cup) ice water

Method

1. Sift the flour, icing sugar and salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the iced water and mixed until the dough comes together in a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out on a lightly floured surface until 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick, then press lightly into the rectangular tart tin and prick with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F). Line the chilled pastry with baking paper and add baking weights or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and weights. Bake for another 10 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Leave to cool.