Mandarin and Walnut Tart with Chocolate Glaze

·         1 quantity sour crème pastry

·         250g walnuts

·         1 tsp ground cumin

·         2 tbsp brandy

·         125g unsalted butter, softened

Candied Mandarins

·         10 small imperial mandarins

·         440g caster sugar

Chocolate Glaze

·         175g dark chocolate (70%)

·         60ml pouring cream

·         50g unsalted butter

·         1 tbsp brandy

1.       To make candied mandarins, cut 6 mandarins into 8 wedges each (leaving skin on). Remove pith from the inner edges of the wedges. Juice remaining 4 mandarins. Place sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Add mandarin wedges and simmer over low – medium heat for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until syrup is thick and mandarins are slightly translucent. Cool slightly. Reserve 125ml of syrup for filling and 1½ tbsp syrup for the chocolate glaze. Roughly chop 4 mandarin wedges and reserve for filling. Place remaining mandarin wedges and syrup in an airtight container in the fridge until needed, or for up to weeks.

2.       Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200c. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface until 3mm thick and use to line a 24cm tart pan with removable base. Trim edge to extend 1cm beyond the rim. Using a fork prick base, then freeze for 10 minutes.

3.       Line the frozen tart shell with baking paper then fill with dried beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastry is dry and lightly golden. Set aside to cool.

4.       To make filling, place walnuts on a baking tray and roast for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool, then process in a food processor until finely chopped. Reduce oven temperature to 180c. Combine walnuts, cinnamon and reserved chopped mandarins in a bowl, then stir in brandy, butter and reserved 125ml of syrup. Spoon mixture into tart shell, spreading evenly, then bake for 25 minutes or until dark golden. Cool for 15 minutes.

5.       To make chocolate glaze, place all ingredients and reserved 1½ tbsp syrup into a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Turn off heat and stir gently until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool for 5 minutes, then pour glaze over the top of the tart and leave to set at room temperature. Serve with remaining candied mandarins.  

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