So I’m taking on some kind of personal blogging challenge. I’ve decided to post a recipe a day every weekday until Christmas eve. I may not make it, in fact it’s highly likely something related to looking after three kids and preparing for Christmas at the same time might get in the way. But I’m going to give it a good go.

Here’s the first recipe. This tart is always loved by everyone. The pastry is easy to handle, the filling chocolately without being too sweet. This is my alternative Christmas dessert on the big day, as you can make it 2 days in advance and crack on with something else.

More recipes like this in my book, Recipes from a Normal Mum, out now… on Amazon, at Waterstones, WHSmith, The Book Depository and many smaller outlets.

I made a lovely video with the Scoff folks to show off how to make this tart. You can see the vid on my YouTube channel and also the Scoff one. You can watch it below too.

Last December: My slow cooker beef bourguignon pie and Crumble topped mince pies and a very ugly but delicious cranberry & raspberry traybake

Two years ago: Mini Yorkshire pudding canapes and Christmas pudding fizz and Brandy butter icing and Rudolf morsels

Three years ago: Lime meringue pie with chocolate pastry and Christmas scones and Ginger cake with Christmas cottage and Hot chocolate on a stick

Four years ago: Moonuts and Cheese biscuits and Parsnip soup and Inauthentic chicken tagine

Chocolate ganache tart with my most well behaved pastry

Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 250g plain flour
• 50g icing sugar
• 125g butter
• 1 large egg

Ganache:

• 300mls double cream
• 50g salted butter, cubed
• 100g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 150g milk chocolate, finely chopped

Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour and icing sugar (use hands/food processor or stand mixer on speed 1/2 using flat beater) until you have a breadcrumb like consistency. Then bind together with the egg using either a blunt knife or the flat beater at speed 1 on the stand mixer. Once you have clumps of pastry pulling together, use your hands to gather into a ball. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll the pastry to a thickness of about 3mm and line a 23cm loose bottomed tart tin with it. (I move the pastry by laying both hands under the pastry with palms upwards and fingers spread wide.) Make sure the pastry is pushed into the corners, then run the rolling pin over the top of the tart tin to trim the pastry edges. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans/uncooked rice or pulses. Bake in a preheated 180C/Gas 4 oven for 15 minutes then remove the beans and paper and bake until lightly golden brown and baked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool but leave in the tin.

Make the ganache by boiling the cream in a small saucepan until just boiling. Do not allow to boil for long or the ganache will be grainy. Then add the butter and chocolate and stir until completely smooth. Pour into your blind baked pastry case and leave to set, either on the side at room temperature overnight for a soft set. Or in the fridge which is a lot faster and achieves a hard set. If you use the fridge method the tart will lose a little of its shine though taste not compromised.

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