CINNAMON & CHILLI CHOCOLATE TART

This tart looks quite beautiful, cuts like butter and tastes like heaven.  Don't be put off by the chilli, it really does compliment the chocolate, adding just a hint of heat in the background.  The Aztecs really new what they were doing when they hit upon this combination.  I have used cinnamon paste but if you can't find it you could just add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon instead.  To make life even easier it can be made the day before and stored in the fridge.  Bring it back to room temperature before serving though.

300ml Double Cream
40g Sugar
1 Red Chilli, Split in half and seeds removed
450g Dark Chocolate, broken into pieces
115g Butter
1 tsp Cinnamon Paste
100ml Milk
250g Sweet or Shortcrust Pastry

Roll out the pastry and line a 10" Loose bottom flan tin.  Cover with parchment and fill with baking beans (rice, dried lentils etc) and bake it blind for 15 minutes at 180C.  Remove the parchment and beans and bake for a further 5-10 minutes to finish it off.  It should be crisp and lightly golden.

Put the cream, chilli and sugar in a pan over a low heat and bring to the boil.  Immediately take it off the heat, remove the chilli and add the butter, chocolate and cinnamon paste.  Stir till it has all completely melted.

Now slowly add the milk, stirring until it becomes smooth.  Pour the mixture into the cooked and cooled pastry case.  Tap it lightly to even out the surface and allow to cool and set for 2-3 hours.  Lightly dust with cocoa to serve.

If you're feeling decadent add a touch of gold leaf for a little extra Aztec.

CHILLI NACHOS PIE

This is what my friend Mary-Ann would call Deja-Food.  I never like the idea of wasting food but having the same meal twice in a week isn't something I always look forward to, but, if you dress it up as something different, well it's not the same, is it?

This was born from having chilli and rice and some tortilla chips on the side.  I used the left over chilli to fill a pastry case then topped it with the remaining tortilla chips and finished with grated cheese.

If you don't have left overs I've added the recipe I used in my children's cookery classes for a mild chilli which you can of course adjust the spice on to your own taste.  Alternatively fill the pastry with a couple of tins of mixed chilli beans available in most supermarkets.

1 tbsp Oil
1 Onion chopped
1 Clove Garlic crushed
400g Minced Beef
2 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
2tsp Chilli Powder
400g Tin Chopped Tomatoes
400g Tin Kidney Beans
Small Bunch Fresh Coriander

250g Shortcrust Pastry
100g Tortilla Chips
50g Cheese grated

Use the pastry to line a deep 9" loose bottom flan tin, cover with parchment and baking beans and bake blind at 180C for 15 minutes.  Remove the beans and parchment and bake for a further 5-8 minutes to finish it off.

Make the chilli by frying the onion in the oil.  When they become translucent add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes, be careful not to burn the garlic.  Now add the minced beef and spices and cook till the meat is browned. Next stir in the tomatoes and kidney beans and cook till it's bubbling.  Leave to simmer for 10 minutes on a low heat then finish by stirring in the fresh coriander.

Pour the chilli into the cooked pastry shell and cover with the tortilla chips.  Sprinkle on the cheese and pop back in the oven for a few minutes till the cheese melts.  serve with a blob of sour cream.

ALL IN ONE APPLE PIE AND CUSTARD

Apple pie and custard is such a classic that I'm not sure I should really be messing with it, however, I might just get away with this as I'm really just adding the custard early.  This is a one crust pie, the base and top are one piece of pastry which is then filled with the apples and custard then baked.  I wouldn't normally use a cake tin for a one crust pie but because of the custard it's best to be on the safe side.

I did have my concerns with the amount of liquid in this and had the voices of Mary & Paul ringing in my ears like a mantra...'soggy bottom, soggy bottom', but be confident, it does work, it will set and the pastry will be crisp.

The only issue really is whether to have it with even more custard or cream or as I did, ice cream, Oh joy!



200g Plain Flour
100g Butter

4-5 Cooking Apples
1 Lg Tbsp Corn Flour
220g Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
150 ml Milk plus extra for glaze
1 tbsp Demerara Sugar



Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour then add enough water to form into a dough.  On a floured surface, roll out the pastry into a disc approximately 14" across.  Use the pastry to line an 8" loose bottom cake tin leaving an extra couple over inches overhanging.

Now mix the custard.  In a bowl combine the corn flour and sugar, next beat in the eggs then gradually whisk in the milk.

Lastly prepare you apples.  Peel each apple then cut into quarters, remove the core then cut each quarter into 3 chunks.  Fill the pastry shell with the apples before you pour the custard mixture over the top.

Now bring the excess pastry over the top of the filling leaving an exposed middle.  Brush the top of the pastry with a little milk and sprinkle on the demerara sugar to cover the apples and pastry.

Bake at 180C / 160C fan for 50-60 minutes till the pie is golden and the custard has set. Leave in the tin to cool before removing.

As an alternative to apples, try rhubarb  x