Lemon curd & chocolate tart: serves 10-12, prep: 1 hour 15 mins cook: 45 mins
The sweet, sharp flavour of the tart filling goes well with the bitter-sweet chocolate base. This lemon curd is a quick version – if you have any left over, you can keep it in the fridge for spreading on toast or muffins.
for the lemon curd:
2 eggs
200g caster sugar
100g unsalted butter, diced
finely grated zest & juice of 2 lemons
For the tart:
100g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
100g unsalted butter, diced
250g digestive biscuits, whizzed into crumbs in a food processor (or put in a plastic bag & bash with a rolling pin)
3 eggs
350g lemon curd
150ml double cream
finely grated zest of 2 lemons
to decorate (optional):
25g dark chocolate
To make the lemon curd: lightly beat the eggs in a small saucepan. Add the lemon juice, sugar and butter. Heat very gently to melt the butter and sugar crystals, stirring constantly. When the butter and sugar have melted, keep stirring on the heat for another few mins. Keep the heat very low to prevent the eggs from curdling. As soon as the mixture starts to thicken and has the consistency of thin custard, remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Leave to cool, then keep in the fridge.
To make the tart: bring a pan of water up to simmering point. Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl (it should fit snugly over the pan), without letting the bowl touch the water. Simmer to melt the chocolate and butter. Put the biscuit crumbs in a large bowl. Pour over the melted chocolate mixture and stir well to thoroughly combine. Spread into the tin and use your fingers to firmly and evenly press the mixture over the bottom and sides. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a large jug, lightly beat the eggs together. Add the lemon curd, cream and lemon zest and stir together. Pour the lemon mixture into the tart tin and put on a baking tray on the middle shelf of your oven. Bake for 30-35 mins, until just set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
If you want to decorate your tart, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, as before. Carefully spoon into a piping bag with a small single-hole nozzle and pipe lines across the tart.
