Spiced Dark Chocolate Tart

Preparation Time: 100 mins      Cooking Time: 60 mins        Serves: 2 peopleIngredients

Tart Shell
90g butter
¾ cup flour
¼ cup water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence

Meringue
1 egg white
50g castor sugar
pinch of pink peppercorn

Peppered Chocolate Ganache
150g thickened cream
100g dark chocolate
pinch of black pepper

Passionfruit Curd
15g butter (unsalted)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup tinned passionfruit pulp
25g castor sugar
1 egg yolks

Raspberry Syrup
1/8 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 tbsp castor sugar
1 tbsp rice malt syrup
pinch of whole black pepper

Method:

Tart Shell

To form a pastry for the tart shell, combine butter and flour in a processor until a crumble forms. Add in

1. ¼ cup of water or as much needed to bring the mixture together.
2. Knead until smooth textured and place in the fridge for 10 minutes.
3. Remove pastry from the fridge and roll out two even sections. Place pastry into tartlet shells and blind bake for 10 minutes at 180 degrees.
4. Remove pastry from the oven and continue to bake until golden without the blind baking method.
5. Remove pastry from the oven once golden in colour, let sit to cool in casings

Pink Peppercorn Meringue

1. In a bowl beat sugar, egg whites and pink pepper until soft peaks are formed. Using a piping bag pipe small meringue domes onto a baking tray.
2. With sieve gently roll pink peppercorns so the husks are removed into a bowl, discard internal part
3. Use the outer pink husk of the peppercorn to dust onto the piped meringues.
4. Cook for 30 minutes at 120 degrees *do not let the meringues golden*

Black Pepper & Dark Chocolate Ganache

1. Over a double boiler, add dark chocolate and cream. Continuously stir until a smooth shiny consistency is formed. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
2. Once tart shells are cooled pour ganache into the cool shells.

Passionfruit Curd

1. Over a double boiler whist butter, passionfruit, vanilla and sugar. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl and slowly add the passionfruit mixture into the eggs to bring up to temperature.
2. Add the mixture back into the double boiler and continue to whisk until it thickens.
3. Transfer to piping bag & refrigerate for as long as possible.

Raspberry Syrup

1. Whilst tart shell is blind baking, add frozen raspberries, sugar, rice malt syrup and black pepper into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir often until a thick syrup is formed and raspberries have softened.
2. Pour syrup through a sieve to remove any raspberry lumps or seeds and peppercorns
3. Refrigerate in a metal bowl

Note: Allow as much cooling time as possible for syrup, ganache and curd