Chocolate date tart

• flour↗

  for rolling

• shortcrust pastry↗320g g

  sheet (ensure vegan if needed)

• medjool dates↗180g g

  pitted, sliced

• coconut milk400ml ml
• vanilla extract↗1 tsp tsp
• dark chocolate without milk↗200g g

  finely chopped

• coconut oil↗3 tbsp tbsp
• cocoa powder↗1 tbsp tbsp
• powdered sugar½ tbsp tbsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Roll out the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface, mix cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Use a sieve to sprinkle them over the entire surface of the pastry sheet, then fold it in half like a book and chill for 15 min. On a lightly floured surface roll the pastry into a slightly larger rectangle, large enough to line a 20 cm diameter tart tin. Line the tin, leaving excess pastry – it will be trimmed after baking. Chill for 30 min on the tray. Preheat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C with convection/gas 6.

2. 2

   Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill it with ceramic baking beans. Bake for 15‑20 min, then remove the paper and beans and bake for another 15 min until the pastry is cooked through. Remove from the oven and let the shell cool in the tin, then trim the sides.

3. 3

   While the pastry cools, prepare the date caramel. Heat the coconut milk until steaming, then pour 120 ml of this milk over the dates. Let steep for 5 min, then transfer to a food processor together with vanilla extract and a generous pinch of coarse salt. Blend until smooth. Spread the caramel over the tart base and place in the refrigerator for 30 min to thicken slightly.

4. 4

   For the glaze ganache, heat the remaining coconut milk over low heat until steaming. Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a large bowl and pour the warm milk over them. Let stand for a minute, then gently stir until smooth. Spoon the mixture over the caramel and spread – it’s fine if the caramel rises a little at the edges. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and chill for about an hour, then bring to room temperature before slicing and serving.