Ingredients

For the Sweet Pastry:
250g plain flour
125g unsalted butter, soft cubes
75g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
1tbsp cold water

For the Prune and Chocolate filling:
15 California Prunes
300mls light syrup
100mls Masala
200g butter
200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
2 medium eggs
3 egg yolks
80g sugar

Instructions

First put the sugar, egg and cold water into a bowl. Whisk.

Put the flour onto a work surface and make a hole with the underneath of the bowl with the egg. In the hole add the soft cubed butter and gradually crumble into the flour, now mix in the egg mixture, with a fork.

Using your fingers gradually bring in the flour to make the pastry dough with the palm of your hand. Do not over knead, just until the pastry is smooth.

Make a cylinder shape then wrap up in cling wrap and put into the fridge for an hour before rolling.

To Blind bake:
First take a 20cm ring or loose bottom flan tin and butter the inside. Take your pastry cylinder from the fridge, put on to a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a large round to 3 mm thick approximately. If you are using a flan tin the edges can be sharp so it is best to fold the pastry in half then into a quarter, find the middle then unfold, and make sure you get into the edges on the base. Once you have lined the tin leave one cm overlapping . Prick all over with a fork. Now put a large piece of greaseproof paper and screw it up so it is easier to get into the corners. Fill with baking beans or rice. Put into a preheated hot oven at 200°C for 20 minutes. Remove the paper, put back into the oven for a further 5 minutes approximately, remove and allow to cool.

For the Prune and Chocolate filling:
First cook the California Prunes in the syrup and masala for 10 minutes and allow to steep for a couple of hours or overnight. Now melt the butter and chocolate together carefully in a heatproof bowl that fits on top of a pan of simmering water without touching the water. Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and sugar just to combine. Now fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Drain the prunes well and place into the tart so you have a pattern and then carefully pour the chocolate mixture into the pastry case.

Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Check the tart, as it may need a little longer. It needs to be smooth and creamy with a slight wobble, just setting.

Remove from the oven and leave to rest for an hour in room temperature. Serve.

Recipe courtesy of Rosemary Shrager, ambassador for California Prunes
Website: www.californiaprunes.co.uk