We all know how well orange and chocolate go together, but have you tried mandarins instead? I think it’s just as delicious. So when your mandarin tree is overflowing with fruit (or your neighbour gives you a whole bag full), here is one way of using some of them.

This tart has three elements. I would say this is not a beginner baker’s recipe, given that you have to make a caramel and a ganache, but hey, if you’re up for a bit of a challenge, and if you’re good at following instructions, don’t let me stop you, YOU CAN DO IT!

You will need these ingredients

• • Sugar

• • Butter

• • Plain flour

• • Salt

• • Mascarpone

• • Eggs yolk

• • Vanilla essence

• • Glucose

• • Thickened cream

• • Mandarins

• • Dark chocolate (orange flavoured optional)

• • Triple Sec

The crust

I like to make tart bases in a food processor. The less you knead or touch the dough with your warm hands, the crumblier it gets, cause really, who wants a tough crust?! Especially kneading, avoid it as much as possible, as that will strengthen the gluten in the dough, and we’re not making bread here, are we? 🙂

Make sure all wet ingredients are at cold. And work quickly.

Process the dry and wet ingredients in a food processor until it just comes together. Gather it up into a loose clump, wrap in plastic and chill. When rolling it out, use a bit of flour to prevent it from sticking to the bench.

Carefully lift the rolled out dough into your buttered tart tin (shape of your choice) and press around the rim. Cut off any excess. If you’re in a hurry you can bake it straight away, but if you have time, the dough will spread less in the oven if you chill it again for 15 minutes.

Crumple up a piece of parchment paper, then spread it out over the dough, fill with dough weights (I use chickpeas, but any other pulses or rice will work just as well). Blind bake for 20 minutes, then remove the weights. If the edges look a little dark already, cover them with aluminium foil then bake the tart shell for another 10-15 minutes until it’s lightly golden.

Salted caramel filling

Measure all your ingredients before starting the caramel.

Heat sugar and glucose in a small saucepan. Gently stir and scrape down any sugar on the side of the pan. Once the sugar is melted, watch it closely, as it will turn golden. You can choose how dark and intense a caramel you like, but as soon as it has reached the brown colour you desire, take it off the heat.

Quickly stir in the cream until smooth. It will look like it’s not going to come together, and foam and bubble, but give it a good stir and you’ll see it’ll eventually become smooth.

While stirring, add the butter until it’s all melted and shiny. Finally add salt.

Let the caramel cool a little, then pour it into the tart base before chilling it to set. This may take around an hour.

Mandarin chocolate ganache

Bring the cream to the boil then immediately remove from the heat.

Add your chopped chocolate and let it melt in the hot cream. Stir the mixture until glossy and combined.

Cut your butter into little pieces so you can add it to the mixture one little piece at a time. If you add it all at once, the ganache may split, so take your time here.

The last step is to add the liquid flavourings (mandarin juice and Triple Sec) and whisk until smooth. Again, let the ganache cool a bit before pouring it over the salted caramel in the tart base.

Don’t worry, it may all look very runny at the stage, but give it a couple of hours in the fridge, and it will set nicely. Generally I would leave the whole cake in the fridge, especially in summer. Makes it easier to cut and eat. 🙂

Decorate decorate decorate

You don’t have to decorate the tart of course, but where’s the fun in that?! I think at least arrange some fresh mandarin slices or pieces, maybe together with a bit of shaved chocolate. Around the rim is always nice, so everyone will get a few fresh mandarin mouthfuls, or something along the middle of the tart? Yes, in my photo I only decorated the two ends on a diagonal, but hey, that’s for looks, right 😉

Enjoy! And let me know if you like it!