Last week I was lucky enough to be invited along to an event in The co-operative’s food development kitchen at their head office. In as session led by Great British Bake Off finalist Luis Troyano a group of food bloggers got to bake Chocolate, hazelnut and orange tarts topped with a cointreau cream.

The event was part of The Co-operative’s new campaign to get more of us Brits baking. They have recently launched a new and improved range of baking products from ground almonds to chocolate chips. The Co-operative is aiming to be the one stop shop for home bakers. You can find recipes (including one from yours truly) and more information at The Co-operative Food website.

Luis kindly gave us the recipe for the delicious tart we made on the day and so I’m also going to share it with you. It is a really simple recipe using ready made pastry and other easy options.

Luis Troyano’s Chocolate Orange and Praline Tart

This is a quick and easy tart to make. There is no blind baking of the pastry required.

A round shortcrust pastry tart filed with a chocolate orange hazelnut frangipane. Topped with a whipped liqueur cream, candied hazelnuts and sliced oranges.

You will need a 23cm loose bottom tart tin greased and lined with non stick baking parchment.

For the tart filling

250g Ready made short crust pastry

120g Chocolate hazelnut spread (warmed slightly in a microwave) slit into 80g and 40g portions

125g Unsalted butter (softened)

125g Castor sugar

2 Medium eggs (beaten)

1 tablespoon plain flour

Grated zest of 2 oranges

125g ground hazelnuts

50g plain chocolate chips

For the candied hazelnuts

20 Whole hazelnuts

150g Caster sugar

150ml Water

For the topping

350ml Double cream

2 tablespoons icing sugar

2 tablespoons cointreau

1 orange

You can also add candied orange peel as a final touch

Method

• Preheat the oven to 160c fan / 180c non-fan
• Grease the tin and line with a circle of baking paper.
• On a separate sheet of baking paper roll out the pastry then roll up the pastry and baking paper then unroll upside down on top of the tin. Peel off the baking paper and push the pastry into the sides of the tin.
• Remove the excess pastry from the top of the tin and place the tin in a fridge to rest the pastry.
• Using a mixer cream the  butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Stir in the beaten eggs, hazelnuts, plain flour and orange zest until evenly mixed.
• Fold in 80g of the chocolate hazelnut spread and chocolate chips until just mixed.
• Remove the pastry case from the fridge and spread the remaining chocolate hazelnut spread evenly on the base leaving a small gap around the edge.
• Place the filling into a disposable piping bag and pipe evenly into the tart case before smoothing with a palate knife or the back of a spoon.
• Place the tart in the lower half of the oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool in the tin then remove and place on a serving plate.
• To make the candied hazelnuts dissolve the sugar in the water and  bring to a rolling boil
• Add the hazelnuts and boil for  20 minutes then drain them and separate them on grease proof paper to dry.
• To make the topping whip the double cream and icing sugar together until soft peaks form.
• Add the liqueur and whip until stiff peaks form.
• Using a large star nozzel pipe the cream onto the cooled tart then add the hazelnuts and some slices of orange.