Perfecting the baked chocolate tart

I feel a little odd writing about my exploits in the kitchen whilst cities across the UK are shut down by rioters, and friends in London can't even go out to the shops to buy a pint of milk. But worrying about the quantity of egg yolk to put in a chocolate tart at least prevents me from going crazy thinking about the societal breakdown that can result in such a horrendous turn of events. This article got me thinking a lot about how disaffected some people really are from society, give it a read (and support Kid's Company), the author is an inspirational woman whom I once had the privilege of hearing speak at an event.

However, on to a more light hearted subject. The results of my weekend of gastronomic experimentation! Inspired by a canape at a friend's wedding a fortnight ago, I turned my hand to pea and mint soup. And very glad I am too! Served hot in a bowl (hubby's preference) or cold in a shot glass (my preference - aesthetically and taste), this will definitely make the menu at a supper club coming to you soon!

The pate worked out very nicely too. Though a lesson learnt will be to take it out of the fridge quite some time before serving. I can't take the credit for the delicious accompanying fig chutney (jam and chutney making scare me) but a delicious lunchtime snack - and perhaps, if I can get the presentation right, a tasty starter.

Having received an ice cream maker as an engagement present a couple of years ago - possibly the best and most well used present we have ever received - this weekend was the turn of sorbet. (OK, so I made a spiced chocolate and port ice-cream too, but pictures of that will have to wait). Not having made sorbet in the churner before, I was a little apprehensive, but fortunately my concerns were unfounded. Here is my apple and calvados sorbet (bit less sugar and it will be a perfect palate cleanser, should we opt for that course), complete with freezer chilled shot glasses. Oh dear, I'm enjoying the food porn photography a bit too much!

Of course, being surrounded by all things chocolately (we are fortunate enough to live within seconds of Cocos of Bruntsfield and The Chocolate Tree), where chocolate is, then I am never far away. The chocolate florentines - whilst risking turning into a big burnt caramel mess in the oven - in fact were rescued by James Martin's tip to 'reshape after 4 minutes in the oven' (my baking tray was nearly plate-glass candied fruit and sugar) and have turned out a treat. But how to get the chocolate glossier on top?

And now for the piece de la resistance*, the baked chocolate and salted caramel tart. This is a recreation as mentioned in a previous post of a delicious dessert we had on the West Coast, in Tarbert. My hunt for recipes which approximated what we had eaten led me to this BBC Good Food recipe. I leave out the cocoa in the pastry, opting for a simpler sweet short crust, and, in this, my second attempt, only used egg whites in the chocolate layer, to make it slightly less heavy than if including the yolk too. My top tip would also be to let each layer cool completely before adding the next (so it becomes a 24 hour job). Blind baked pastry shell needs to be cooled before pouring in the caramel layer, caramel should set before spooning over the chocolatey-egg-whitey goo (when I first made this, I wasn't as patient, meaning the chocolate layer was much harder to spread, and the cooked result had less distinctive layers).

It was well worth the wait.

And I know I'm not really going in order here (did you really think this was all eaten at one sitting), but given I have become obsessed with taking photos of food, how's about this for a ridiculous way to serve up fish fingers. A jenga of breaded fish fillets served on creamed potato, with a tomato and petits pois garnish. (Needless to say, after the photo was taken, I heaped on a whole load more peas - got to get my five a day)!

*apologies for the lack of accents throughout - the linguist in me is very disappointed at my lack of Mac shortcuts for these characters... Will try to learn, or make fewer things with French provenance.