Jamie Oliver's Chocolate Tart

It's true what they say about English weather, you get a patch of sun for a week every summer and you're done for the year. This couldn't be more true at the moment, we've had a few scattered days of sunshine and now I'm sitting here typing this up whilst it rains again, just for something different. Well one of those days way back when the sun was shinning for a brief period in time, I made this delightfully summery chocolate tart with berries. This was my first time using a sweet Jamie Oliver recipe, it was super delicious and delectable.

Ingredients

Base

1 packet of Chocolate Digestive Biscuits or Chocolate Wheatons

250g butter

Filling

300ml double cream

2 tsp caster sugar

A pinch of fine sea salt

50g unsalted butter, softened
200g 70% cocoa cook’s chocolate, broken into small pieces (I used Lindt)
50ml whole milk
Berries, sea salt flakes or crème fraîche or ice cream, to serve

Method

1. Crush biscuits in food processor until they resemble fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add butter and mix together, mixture should be firm when pressed together.

3. Press biscuit mixture evenly and firmly into a tart tin and leave to cool in refrigerator whilst you make the filling
4. Put the cream, sugar and salt in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove as soon as the mixture boils up. With the pan off the heat, add the butter and chocolate. Stir until blended.
5. Take a couple of minutes for a breather, then stir in the milk. Keep stirring till it's shiny.

6. Pour into the tart shell and leave at room temperature for 4 hours to set.
7. Once ready add your berries, salt or whatever your desired topping is and serve with cream or ice-cream.

Wholemeal Vanilla Yoghurt & Blueberry Muffins

Spring has definitely sprung here in the UK, it is no exaggeration when I say the sun has been shining for a whole week, as in 7 days of sunshine. I'm no stranger to the sun being an Aussie, but I am a stranger to celebrating the sun like the Brits do, because it is a sight they rarely see. I saw bright yellow daffodils in the garden and a crisp green lawn and I knew I had to bake some spring time Blueberry Muffins and get out in the garden and take some pictures. These muffins aren't as unkind to the waistline either... you're welcome ;-) ! What's cooking at the moment in your kitchen?

Ingredients

1¾ cups wholemeal flour

¾ cup raw sugar 

½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs 

125gm butter or margarine
1 cup vanilla yoghurt (I use Danone Vanilla)
1½ cups of blueberries

1 tsp of vanilla extract
Cinnamon for sprinkling 

Method

1.   Preheat oven to 170°C (fan forced)

2.   Cream butter, sugar and vanilla bean paste in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, I use the paddle attachment.

3.   Add eggs to the mixture.

4.   Gradually add salt and flour in 3 batches.

5.   Once combined gradually add the yoghurt.
6. Fold in blueberries with a rubber spatula.

7.   Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups ⅔ full and sprinkle muffins with a touch of cinnamon and raw sugar.

8.   Bake at 180°C (fan forced) for 20-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.