Chocolate and Custard Tartlettes

Some of my favourite foods when it comes to baking are custard, and chocolate.  And I'm sure you all know that I love French tarts.  So what if we combined them all? This is something I have considered baking for a long time.  A custard tart with a hidden layer of cold chocolate at the bottom.  I have this thing though, that the chocolate has to make a crack when you bite into it.  I just love that texture contrast between hard chocolate and soft, creamy custard.  So, these tartlets for me are a real dream because they truly fulfil all of my critera.  Makes 4 tartlets

Ingredients for Shortcrust Pastry
1 cup plain flour
2 tbsp icing sugar
90g unsalted butter, cubed
1 -2 tbsp iced water

Method
Sift the flour into a bowl and stir in the sugar. Using your fingertips, rub the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre and water. Mix to a dough with a flat-bladed knife, using a cutting action. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather into a ball. Press together until smooth, then roll out and cut to fit 1 tart dish. Regridgerate for 20 minutes; preheat the oven to 180 degrees (fan-forced). Line the dishes with baking paper and spread some baking weights at the bottom. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the paper and then continue to bake for a further 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool before filling.



Ingredients for Chocolate Layer
100g chocolate
30g copha

Method
Combine ingredients in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water on the stove.  Allow to melt and stir with a spoon until smooth and combined.  Distribute into 4 tarts.  Put in fridge for 1-2 hours, or until set.

Ingredients for Custard Filling
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
1 cups milk (I used skim milk)
1 tsp vanilla essence
+ 20g chocolate, for decoration

Method
Once chocolate layer it set, make the custard filling.  To make the filling, put the yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl and whisk until pale. Heat the milk in a saucepan until almost boiling, then remove from the heat and add gradually to the egg mixture; beating constantly. Strain back into the pan. Stir constantly over low heat for 4 minutes, or until the mixture boils and thickens. Do not over cook. Remove from the heat, and add the vanilla and stir through well. Immediately pour the custard filling into the cool pastry shell over the chocolate layer.  Allow custard to cool before using the 20g of chocolate.  With a hand held grater, curl chocolate shavings over the top of the custard tarts for decoration.  Chill in fridge for 1hr, or so, before serving.

Hidden layer of chocolate under the custard!