When I saw Nigella make this, I just had to try it out. I've never made a chocolate tart, but the idea of a crumbly oreo base instead of pastry sounded amazing, and it does not disappoint! The hint of salt is not overwhelming but enough to give a nice taste to the richness of the chocolate.The oreo base along with the gooey chocolate centre just go together fantastically. It's a great recipe for if you're having a dinner party or some friends round - quite simple to make but very impressive!
Recipe
for the base
- 28 oreo cookies (2 x 154g packets)
- 50 grams dark chocolate (min. 70% cocoa solids)
- 50 grams soft unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
for the filling
- 100 grams dark chocolate (min. 70% cocoa solids)
- 25 grams cornflour
- 60 ml full fat milk
- 500 ml double cream
- 50 grams cocoa (sieved)
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (or strong instant coffee powder)
- 75 grams caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or extract)
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt flakes
Method
I used a 25cm tart tin with a loose base for this recipe.
For the base:
Snap the biscuits into pieces and drop them into a food processor. Break the chocolate up and blitz together with the biscuits until you have crumbs. Add the butter and salt and mix together in the processor until you have crumbs.
Press into your tart tin and pat down on the bottom and up the sides of the tin with your hands or the back of a spoon, so that the base and sides are evenly lined and smooth. Put into the fridge to chill and harden for at least 1 hour, or 2 hours if your fridge is stacked. I wouldn’t keep it for longer than a day like this as the Oreo crust tends to get too crumbly.
For the filling:
Finely chop the chocolate. Put the cornflour into a cup and whisk in the milk until smooth.
Pour the cream into a heavy-based saucepan. Add the chocolate, sieved cocoa, espresso or instant coffee powder, sugar, vanilla paste or extract, olive oil and salt. Place over a medium to low heat and whisk gently until the chocolate melts and everything is mixed together.
Take off the heat and whisk in the cornflour and milk mixture until it is smoothly incorporated, and then put the pan back on a low heat. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens, which takes around 10 minutes. Mix off the heat for a while if the cream starts to boil. When ready, it should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, and if you run your finger through it (across the back of the spoon) the line should stay.
Pour into a measuring jug, crumple a piece of baking paper on top and put in the fridge for 15 minutes. The mixture will still be warm, but will be the right temperature to ooze into the base without melting it.
Pour and scrape the mixture into the biscuit-lined flan tin and put back in the fridge overnight. Don’t leave it longer than 24 hours, as the base will start to soften.
Take out of the fridge for 10 minutes before serving, but unmould straight away. Sit the flan tin on top of a large tin or jar and let the ring part fall away.
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