Hot belgian chocolate tart

Method

1. First make the pastry. In a mixing bowl combine the flour, caster sugar and cocoa powder. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the mixture. Then, mix in the eggs, again by hand, shaping it into a dough.

2. Cover with cling film and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. If necessary, the pastry can be made the day before.

3. Roll out the chilled pastry finely and use it to line a greased, loose-based 20cm flan tin. Set aside to rest for 20 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4.

5. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the whipping cream and milk until well-mixed. Transfer to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cut a slit lengthways along the vanilla pod and add to the cream mixture. Set aside to infuse for 10 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate.

7. Break the eggs in a mixing bowl. Pass half the infused cream mixture through a sieve into the mixing bowl and whisk until well-blended.

8. Strain the remaining cream mixture into the egg mixture and whisk again.

9. Fold the melted chocolate into the egg mixture.

10. Pour the chocolate mixture into the pastry case. Bake for 10 minutes in the oven on a wire rack.

11. Reduce the oven temperature to 110°C/gas ¼. Bake at this heat for 25 minutes.

12. Turn off the oven and leave the tart inside the oven for a further 20 minutes.

13. Serve with whipped cream, flavoured with a dash of brandy.