1. The pastry needs to be sealed properly (Whisked Egg White - when baking blind)
2. The strawberries should be washed properly, hulled and then dried off with a kitchen towel - you don't want any extra or unnecessary moister from the fruits.
3. Spun Sugar should be made before hand - and placed on a kitchen towel.
NOW FOR THE RECIPE
1 x Quantity Sweet Shortcrust Pastry - shop bought or hand made
600g x Fresh Strawberries - washed, hulled, dried and halved + extra for decoration
60ml x Fresh Cream
80g x Unsalted Butter
300g x Dark Chocolate - chopped fine
100g x Dark Chocolate - chopped fine, this is to seal the pastry
250g x Milk Chocolate - chopped fine
1 x Egg White - whisked lightly
60g x Bitter Cacao - for dusting
100g x White Castor Sugar - for the spun sugar
method:
Roll out the pastry on a lightly dusted kitchen counter till about 3mm thick, roll the pastry up over the rolling pin and gently let it fall into a greased "fluted loosed bottom tart tin". Gently press the pastry into all the corners. Place the tart in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set. Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans or rice to bake blind. Bake the pastry for 18 - 20 till slightly golden and cooked. Remove the baking paper and the beans. Now using a pastry brush lightly brush the entire inside of the pastry with the whisked egg whites and return to the oven for another 4 minutes (this will seal the pastry/ waterproof it). Remove the pastry from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
Place the 100g dark chocolate in a Bain Marie on the stove top to melt completely, don't stir the chocolate to much. Once all the chocolate has melted, take a pastry brush and paint the inside of the tart shell with a thick layer of the chocolate - use all the chocolate. (This will ensure the pastry is sealed and that no moisture will get to the pastry) Set aside to set completely.
Once the chocolate has set completely - start placing the strawberry halves flat side down in the tart shell from the outer circle till the entire shell is filled with strawberries.
Now using the same bowl you used for the chocolate seal, place the dark and milk chocolate along with the butter and cream in the Bain Marie and leave to melt completely. Once all the chocolate has melted and the butter and the cream has been absorbed by the chocolate - pour everything evenly over the strawberries. Take the tart shell and lift it about 4cm from the kitchen counter and drop it. this will ensure that no air pockets are left. Take a rubber spatula and evenly level all the melted chocolate over the strawberries ensuring no strawberries can be seen sticking out. Refrigerate for 4 -6 hours but over night is best.
Now make the spun sugar, use a heavy based saucepan and make a dry caramel. DO NOT STIRR THE SUGAR AT ANY TIME!! ONLY SWIRL IT IN THE PAN. Once all the sugar has turned to caramel and you cant see anymore sugar - remove the sugar from the heat. let it rest for 2 - 3 minutes till the caramel has cooled enough to be spun. Using a wire whisk and a wooden spoon, start by dunking the whisk in the sugar and once you've lifted it and the sugar makes these little strands, start spinning the whisk over and around the wooden spoon almost making a candy floss feel to the sugar. Keep repeating this till you have enough to decorate your tart. (TIP: if the sugar has hardened and you still need to spun sugar, just return the pan to the heat for a minute or two to liquefy the sugar again)
Dust the set Ganache tart liberally with cacao, decorate it with some fresh strawberries and the spun sugar.
Last but not least!!V ENJOY!
