Irish cream and chocolate gingerbread tart
Arguably, the cutest dessert you’ve ever seen
Can we take a moment to appreciate how cute those gingerbread people look on top of that tart? It’s a shame you then have to eat them, really. But when a tart is this good, needs must!
This naughty tart is oozing with velvety Irish cream goodness and plenty of rich chocolate that makes it unapolagetically indulgent. For lovers of truffles or boozy puds, this is the perfect one for you. And we’ve even sneaked a little ginger into the pastry crust to give it that seasonal, warming feel. Ideal for when those cosy evenings roll in and you need a sugary hit (with a touch of alcohol).
An exclusive recipe from my latest cookbook!
This recipe is from my latest book, Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Batch Cookbook(opens in new tab), and you can find even more sneaky recipes right here. Don’t tell my publisher please, because I don’t think I’m allowed to share this many…but oh well! Have a few freebies on me hehe.
Why batch?
I can’t believe I didn’t batch more recipes earlier on, because it’s such a time saver! This chocolate-y tart came about because if the in-laws or other guests turn up at short notice then it’s come to know I have something a little special in the freezer I can quickly whip out. It looks fancy, tastes sophisticated and makes me look the perfect daughter in law. Win win really.
It’s also amazing having meals ready to go for those days when you just can’t be bothered to bake a dessert but need to satisfy that sweet tooth. Yes, even as a chef, there are days where I don’t want to see another mixing bowl or whisk.
And this tart is the perfect freezer-friendly recipe. It can be portioned off into individual slices and frozen for up to 3 months. Then it only take a bit of gentle defrosting and it’s good to go! So get it out whilst you’re enjoying your main and tuck into this immediately after. Make sure you have a little cream or ice cream on the side too.
Batch cooking has also been a lifesaver for me since having my baby. The time I save by having homemade meals ready to go is genuinely worth its weight in gold. Instead of starting dinner from scratch when everyone is hungry and I’ve got approximately 17 other things to do, I can pull something from the freezer and have a seriously good meal on the table in minutes. Everyone is happy.
To eat now…
Decorate each slice with a mini gingerbread man and tuck in! Or sprinkle over crushed gingerbread if you can’t find these. They just look cute!
To eat later…
Freeze the individual slices (undecorated), wrapped tightly in cling film or placed in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Defrost at room temp for 1 hour, then decorate with gingerbread men and serve. Enjoy!
Irish cream and chocolate gingerbread tart
By Poppy Cooks
https://www.poppycooks.com/recipes/irish-cream-and-chocolate-gingerbread-tart/
Ingredients
For the filling
- 125ml double cream
- 75ml Irish cream liqueur
- 200g white chocolate, broken up
- 175g 70% dark chocolate, broken up
- 25g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
Metric
Imperial
For the pastry
- 200g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
- 100g unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground mixed spice
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 egg yolk
Metric
Imperial
To finish
- Shop bought mini gingerbread men
Metric
Imperial
Instructions
- Make the pastry. Using your fingertips and thumbs and a large bowl oe pulsing in a food processor, combine the flour, butter, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, mixed spice, salt and icing sugar until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- If you're working by hand, make a well in the centre of the flour mixture, add the egg and work quickly to incorporate. Add a little water if the pastry dough is dry - just 1 tbsp at a time. If you're using a food processor, add the egg, pulse to bring the mixture together into a dough, then add water a little at a time if needed. You want just enough liquid so that the dough binds.
- Tip out the dough on to your work surface and bring it together briefly by hand - don't overwork it, otherwise the pastry will be elastic, rather than crisp.
- Roll the pastry into a ball, flatten it out with your hand, then wrap it tightly in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan. With a rolling pin, roll out your pastry on a lightly floured surface to a disc 28cm in diameter and 3mm thick. Use the disc to line the tart tin, gently easing it into the corners and up the inside. Trim any excess.
- Line the tart case with scrunched up and flattened out parchment paper and fill it with baking beans or rice. Bake for 25 mins, then remove the beans and parchment paper and cook for a further 15 mins until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and leave the tart case to cool completely in the tin.
- To make the filling, pour the double cream and irish cream liqueur into a saucepan over a medium heat. Meanwhile, tip both chocolates into a heatproof bowl and add the butter and vanilla.
- As soon as the cream and liqueur come up to the boil, pour the mixture over the chocolate and butter. Leave to sit for 1 min, then stir together with a spatula to melt and combine.
- Pour the mixture into the tart case and pop it into the fridge for at least 4 hours, but ideally overnight to set. Then, cut into 8-10 slices.