If you’ve not made chocolate pastry before, then this Chocolate Orange Custard Tart is a great place to start! The filling is a rich baked chocolate custard, it’s flavoured with orange extract which is the best way to get a good orange flavour without comprimising the texture of the custard. Orange extract is pretty easy to get hold of, I get it in my local supermarket. I’ve decorated it with whipped cream, and Terry’s Chocolate Orange slices, because they’re awesome! This would be perfect anytime of year, but chocolate orange is very Christmassy, so I think this Chocolate Orange Custard Tart would be a great Christmas dessert for either the day itself, or any parties you’re hosting!
Step by step…
To make the pastry I rubbed butter into a mixture of plain flour, cocoa powder and caster sugar. I added milk and formed it into a dough. I wrapped it in cling film and chilled it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Then I rolled out the pastry out and lined the tin, and I gently pricked the bottom with a fork.
I blind baked the pastry case for 15 minutes, then I removed the baking beans and baked it for another 10 minutes.
To make the filling I heated double cream, then added dark chocolate and stirred till it melted. In a bowl I whisked together eggs, sugar and orange extract. I combined the two mixtures to create the custard filling
I put the pastry case in the oven and poured the custard into it. This ensures it doesn’t spill.
Once baked, the custard will puff up, but it will sink down again as it cools.
I decorated the Chocolate Orange Custard Tart with some whipped cream and slices of Terry’s Chocolate Orange. The Chocolate Orange Custard Tart had a great chocolate and orange flavour. You can really taste the orange and it is rather moreish! I was quite happy to have a couple of slices of this, as was everyone else!
Tips for making the Chocolate Orange Custard Tart:
- When rolling out the pastry, use a light dusting of plain flour to ensure it doesn’t stick to the work surface or to the rolling pin. A silicone mat with pie tin measurements on it is also helpful as a guide so you know how big to roll it out to.
- To avoid nail marks in the pastry when you are lining the tin, use a little ball of leftover pastry to push the pastry into the edges of the tin.
- If you don’t have baking beans to blind bake the pastry case, you can use dried rice or dried beans. Just don’t forget to line the pastry with baking paper before pouring them in!
- Place the baked pastry case on the oven shelf and pour the filling in using a jug, then slowly and gently slide the oven shelf in. This means you can fill the pastry case with as much filling as possible, and avoid any spills carrying it over to the oven.
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
| Tart tin | Mixing bowls | Cooling rack |
| Kitchen scales | Electric hand mixer | Terry’s Chocolate Orange |
| Baking beans | Rolling pin | Silicone mat |
| Piping bags | Wilton 2D Piping nozzle |
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More chocolate orange recipes…
Chocolate Orange Custard Tart
Chocolate pastry, chocolate orange custard filling, whipped cream and chocolate orange pieces
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 100 g Butter
- 210 g Plain flour
- 20 g Cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp Caster sugar
- 45 ml Milk or water
For the filling
- 5 Eggs large
- 125 g Caster sugar
- 3 tsp Orange extract
- 120 g Dark chocolate broken into pieces
- 215 ml Double Cream
For decoration
- 200 ml Double Cream
- 1/2 tbsp Icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 13 Segments of Terry's Chocolate Orange
Instructions
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To make the pastry, put the plain flour, cocoa powder and caster sugar in a bowl and stir together
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Add the butter in chunks and use your fingers to rub the butter and flour mixture together until it resembles bread crumbs
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Add the milk little by little (you may not need it all, or you may need a little bit more) and form into a dough
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Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes
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Pre-heat your oven to 180C Fan/200C/350F/Gas Mark 5
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Using a light dusting of flour on your surface and rolling pin, roll the pastry out to fit a 9" tart tin
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Smooth the pastry out in the tin and prick the bottom with a fork
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Scrunch up some baking paper and cover the pastry, then add baking beans. Bake it for 15 minutes
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Remove the pastry from the oven and remove the baking paper and baking beans. Put it back in the oven and bake it for 10 minutes
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Once it comes out of the oven, reduce the temperature to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4
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To make the custard filling warm the double cream in a pan on a low-medium heat
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Once it starts steaming, take it off the heat and add the chocolate. Leave it for a few minutes, then stir until smooth and all of the chocolate is melted. Leave to cool for 5 minutes
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Whisk the eggs and sugar together, add the orange extract and whisk in
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Slowly pour the chocolate and cream mixture into the egg and sugar mixture whisking as you pour. Once mixed, transfer to a jug
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Put the pastry case on the oven shelf first, then pour the filling in using the jug
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Bake for 30 minutes, then leave to cool completely before decorating
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To decorate, whip the cream with the vanilla and icing sugar using an electric whisk
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Pipe onto the tart, or spread on with a spoon
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Decorate with some Terry's Chocolate Orange slices if you like
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Serve immediately, store leftovers in the fridge and eat within 2 days
NB. This post is NOT sponsored by Terry’s – I just love their product!
If you like this, check out more of my Sweet Tarts & Pies recipes!
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Wow! Love the idea of orange custard. I have to have some of that!!
Thanks Kate! It's really delicious and the perfect combination with the chocolate crust.