Prue Leith’s Vegan Chocolate & Raspberry Tarts

Step 1

Make the pastry. Tip the flour, salt, cocoa powder and icing sugar into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.

Step 2

Add the coconut oil and pulse again until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and pulse again to form a dough – it will still look quite crumbly at this stage.

Step 3

Tip out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead it together. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, pat each into a round, then wrap the pieces in cling film and chill for 20 minutes.

Step 4

Make the chocolate ganache filling. Tip the chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Set aside.

Step 5

Pour 75ml of water into a pan, then add the sugar. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. When the syrup just begins to boil, immediately remove it from the heat and pour it over the chocolate.

Step 6

Stir the mixture together with a whisk (but without incorporating any air) to a smooth, shiny ganache. The mixture will look like it’s split at first, but keep stirring and it will emulsify. Set aside at room temperature.

Step 7

Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/Gas 5.

Step 8

Roll out each piece of pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a 14cm diameter circle. Use each disc to line one of the fluted tart tins, gently pressing the pastry into the grooves. Trim the edges, then prick the bases all over with a fork. Chill the pastry cases for 15 minutes.

Step 9

Scrunch up the discs of baking paper tightly in your hands and then lay them out flat. (This softens the paper and will help them to sit inside the tart cases.) Line the pastry cases with the baking paper discs, then fill them with baking beans.

Step 10

Place the pastry cases on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then remove them from the oven and lift out the baking paper and beans. Return the cases to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes, until the base is cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes in the tins.

Step 11

Carefully remove the pastry cases from the tins, then use the chocolate ganache to fill each one. Leave to set at room temperature.

Step 12

Finally, arrange the raspberries over the top of the ganache to cover and sprinkle with yellow sugar sprinkles to finish.