Chocolate Ganache Tart with Caramelized Nuts

For the chocolate nut! Forgive the terrible pun.

Ingredients

For the Crust

2 cups All Purpose Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Icing Sugar

1 cup unsalter Butter (room temperature)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

3 tbsp Cacao Powder

for the ganache

1 cup thickened cream

200g dark Chocolate

2 tbsp unsalted Butter

for the topping

100g toasted Pistachios

200g toasted Hazelnuts

1/2 cup granulated Sugar

1/3 cup Water

Roll the pastry out to fit your tin and cut off any excess. If using a spring form pan instead of a tart tin, you want the sides of the pastry to be about 2.5cm to allow for shrinkage when baking. Re-roll the remaining pastry and cut into different sized leaf shapes. Bake the pastry as per the packet instructions noting that the little leaf shapes will cook very quickly.

Set aside the tart case to cool completely. To make the ganache filling, chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a large glass or metal bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan over a medium-high heat until just before it boils then pour it over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the butter and stir until smooth and glossy. Pour into the tart case and refrigerate.

For the caramelised nuts, line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside. Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan and then bring to the boil without stirring, turn the heat down to a simmer and let bubble until the sugar and water mixture becomes a caramel colour (this may take a little while, but be patient and on your guard, because when it starts to caramelise it happens quickly). Working very quickly remove pot from heat, tip the toasted hazelnuts and pistachios into the caramel mixture, stir until the nuts are coated then tip out onto the lined baking tray. Use a wooden spoon to separate the nuts as much as possible. Set aside to cool. The caramel will harden as it cools, so when the nuts are cool enough to handle, pull the nuts apart as much as possible then leave to cool completely.

Top the ganache tart with the caramelised nuts and the chocolate pastry leaves and serve.