Sticky Date and Chocolate Tart with Butterscotch Sauce
SERVES 8 PREP & COOK 1 HOUR 45 MINS
125g cold unsalted butter, chopped
1½ cups plain flour
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
Vanilla ice-cream, to serve FILLING
1½ cups chopped pitted dates (275g)
100g unsalted butter, chopped
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 cup self-raising four 1 egg, lightly beaten
150g dark cooking chocolate, chopped
BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
300ml carton pure cream 100g unsalted butter, chopped
1 Lightly grease a deep, fluted 23cm round, loose-based pie tin. 2 Process butter, flour and sugar in a food processor to form fine crumbs. With motor operating, add egg and water (2-4 tsps) to form a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 3 To make filling, stir dates, butter, sugar and 1 cup water in a large saucepan over a medium to high heat until boiling. Simmer for 7 minutes, or until dates are soft. Stir in soda. Transfer to a large bowl. Cool.
4 Roll out pastry between two sheets of baking paper until large enough to line tin, about 1cm thick. Ease pastry into tin. Trim edge. Pinch pastry against side of tin to extend about ½cm above edge. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cover with baking paper. Fill with dried beans or rice.
5 Cook in a moderate oven (180C) for 20 minutes. Remove paper and beans. Cook for a further 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool.
6 Stir flour and egg into date mixture, then stir in chocolate. Spoon into pastry shell. Cook in a moderate oven (180C) for about 45 minutes, or until filling is set.
7 To make sauce, stir all ingredients in a medium saucepan over a low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
8 Serve warm tart with warm sauce and ice-cream.