Two Tarts for Two Not-so-Tarty Girls

This week's baking activities proved a bit of a challenge on the creative front. The loverly Steph & Jordan will be celebrating their Birthdays at the end of the week! Having two gals with very different tastes -my aim was to please.

Introducing:

Steph's Double Chocolate Strawberry Tart & Jordan's Choco Pecan Bourbon Tart

Steph's Double Chocolate Strawberry Tart

(Dark AND White Chocolate AND Berries...what could go wrong?)

Base:

320g Plain Flour

60g Cocoa

160g Caster Sugar

Pinch o Salt

160g Butter/Margarine

2 Eggs

Filling:

150g White Chocolate (broken into pieces)

1c. Cream

2 Egg Yolks (the yellow bits!)

Decor:

450g Fresh Strawberries (or any berry of your choice!)

For the Cocoa Tart Base:

Blend together Cocoa, Caster Sugar, Salt, Butter, and Eggs until mixture becomes pebbly. Slowly add Flour to the existing mixture until all is well incorporated. Then press the mixture into a 9in round baking tin and cook in the oven for 10min at 180C. (Base will not be completely cooked at this stage.)

For the White Choco Filling:

Combine the Chocolate pieces and Cream into a heat-safe bowl and place the bowl over a simmering pan of water - stirring mixture until it becomes smooth. Whisk in the Egg Yolks until all is well incorporated.

Lastly, pour the White Choco Filling into its Cocoa Tart Base and pop in the oven at 180C for 30-35Min (cooking the base thoroughly, and creating a gooey custard texture to the filling).

Refrigerate, then decorate with fresh Strawberries before eating.

Jordan's Choco Pecan Bourbon Tart

(A Southern Classic with a Choco Bourbon Twist)

Base:

200g Butter

100g Icing Sugar

1 Egg

420g Plain Flour

Filling:

3/4c. Semisweet Chocolate Morsels (or a Dark Chocolate bar - finely chopped)

3 Large Eggs

1/3c. Sugar

3 tbsp Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Plain Flour

3/4c. Corn Syrup

1/4c. Butter/Margarine

3tbsp Bourbon

2tsp Vanilla

2c. Pecans

For the Sugary Tart Base:

Using a hand mixer, cream together the Butter and Sugar, adding the Egg and blending until smooth. Slowly add Flour to the existing mixture until all is well incorporated. Press mixture into a 9in round baking tin, sprinkle the Chocolate Morsels onto the base and set in fridge to chill approx 10 min.

For the Bourbon Pecan Filling:

Blend together all ingredients (minus the Chocolate Morsels and Pecans) and pour 3/4 of the mixture into the Sugary Tart Base - covering the layer of Chocolate Morsels. Then create an even layer of Pecans over this mixture, and drizzle the remaining 1/4 of the Bourbon Filling to coat the Pecans.

Pop into the oven at 180C for 45-50Min (until the Tart Base is golden brown, and the Bourbon Pecan Mixture is swollen. Don't fret! The tart will deflate upon cooling!)

This dish can be served warm or chilled.

I hope the girls enjoy my take on their Birthday Puds! Let the celebrations commence!

Until next time...

Hearts.