Chocolate Truffle and Blackberry Tart.

Apparently it’s National Chocolate Week at the moment.....errrr HELLO...what are you expecting to happen during the other 51 weeks of the year?? In my head it’s like that thing people do with going to church; only go at Christmas to sing pretty songs and to get married and take pretty pictures.

THAT’S NOT HOW IT WORKS. Okok my chocolate thing is kind of the opposite of that because I do the ‘neverever going to church thank you very much’ thing as opposed to the ‘every Sunday thank you very much’ thing....but what I meeeeean is, if you aaaare one of the those ‘every Sunday’ people, I think maybe you get annoyed at people who swan in once a year just because, and you’re like “ow you’re here now are you....THIS IS MY RELIGION”.

Like with chocolate....it’s kind of the same yeeah?? Good chocolate and its worship is not for once a year, ohnono. Good chocolate is for all the days....ALLLL THE DAYS. There’s probably some chocolate God spending this week going ‘aaar so you’re going to celebrate me now aaaaare you’.

Right...ok, I realise this is not really true because lots of people do love and eat chocolate all the time so it’s barley the same thing and I’m very much twaddling but it’s all about balance isn't it? And eating chocolate for a week is bad but loving it all the time is good, as long as you eat spinach sometimes too and do some star jumps. So here’s a chocolate recipe for you...make it this week or next, whenever you want....just make sure you get your blackberries soon. With Love and Cake.

Chocolate Truffle and Blackberry Cake.

Original recipe by Debbie Major for Delicious magazine.

A few notes:

• The original recipe I followed uses raspberries...I think just use whatever you fancy or can get hold if depending on the seasons. I can still get Scottish rasps up hear at the mo but blackberries are at their prime.
• If you have a 25cm tart tin or shallow cake tin, do use that...that's what the recipe is designed for. I don't have one (sobsob) so had to settle for a smaller tin. It works fine and feel free to do that to, you will just have a fair bit of excess filling and pastry...not a problem in my book. Any left over truffle mix can just be poured into ramekins and left to set in the fridge as 'chocolate pots'. Leftover pastry will freeze well.

Serves 10

You will need

a 25cm loose bottomed tart tin, greased

For the pastry

175g plain flour

25g cocoa powder

50g icing sugar

100g butter, cold from the fridge, cubed

1 egg

2-3 tbsp cold water

For the filling

150ml milk

500ml double cream

65g caster sugar

300g dark chocolate, broken up into squares

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g fresh blackberries

• First we must make the pastry. Pulse together the flour, cocoa and sugar in a food processor (or sift into a bowl).
• Then add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs (or rub in with your finger tips).
• Separate the egg and add the yolk to the processor. Set aside the white for later.
• Add 2tbsp of cold water and pulse until a soft dough forms, adding more water if necessary.
• Remove the dough from the processor and gently form into a disc. Wrap in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for around 15 minutes.
• Next, roll the pastry out thinly onto a floured surface. I used the cling film it was wrapped in to cover the pastry as I rolled, to stop the rolling pin sticking which worked well.
• Line your prepared tin with the pastry, and gently prick the base with a fork and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200°c.
• Blind bake the pastry case; line it with a scrunched up piece of baking paper and fill with baking beans, or uncooked rice or dried beans (save them to continue to use for the same purpose, just don't cook them to eat).
• Place the tart tin on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove the beans and paper and bake for a further 5 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool and crisp up while you get on with the filling.
• Pour the milk, cream and sugar into a saucepan and slowly bring to the boil.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate slowlyslowly, until it's all melted and wonderfully smooth.
• In a large bowl, whisk the egg with the left over egg white and vanilla.
• When all the chocolate has melted, pour the mixture over the eggs, and whisk together.
• Scatter the berries into the pastry case, cover with the chocolate truffle mixture and transfer carefully to the oven.
• Bake for around 30 minutes until the filling looks set while remaining a little bit wobbly in the middle.
• Leave to cool and serve at room temperature with a few more berries if you fancy.