Chocolate Semolina Custard Tarts

For the shortcrust pastry:

Sift together flour and salt.

Add cubed butter to the flour mixing only with your fingertips till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Do not overwork the dough.

Mix together egg and water and add to the flour mixture. Mix till combined to form a stiff dough. Again, try not to overwork the dough and use only your fingertips.

Cover dough in a cling wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Once ready to use, lightly flour dust your surface and roll dough to roughly 1cm thickness. Add pastry to loose-bottom tart pan and trim the edges. Place back into the fridge to harden.

Once hard, remove from the fridge and using a fork, poke 3 x holes into the pastry bottom. Place a piece of baking paper over the pastry and fill with either baking beans or rice. This will prevent the dough from rising. Bake blind for 15 minutes then remove beans/ rice and wax paper and bake for a further 10 minutes.

Set aside and allow to cool.

For the semolina custard:

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons butter and extract. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Whisk in semolina, and cook, stirring, until the mixture is thick, roughly 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from heat and quickly whisk in eggs, one at a time taking care not to scramble. Return saucepan to heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 to 40 seconds, to cook the eggs. Remove custard from heat, and let cool to room temperature.

Once cooled fill into pastry cases and place in the fridge to set, roughly 2-3 hours.

For the chocolate ganache topping:

In a microwavable bowl, heat cream on medium heat till hot, add chocolate and orange blossom water and allow chocolate to melt before mixing together. Using a fork, beginning at the center of the bowl, whisk mixture till combined and allow to cool.

Once cooled and thick, add butter and whisk mixture vigorously till combined, this yields a glossy and smooth ganache.

Remove pastry from fridge and add ganache over the custard, covering the top. Serve with fresh fruit.

Image and recipe by Ibtesam Essa