Foodaware

Neven Maguire

By Neven Maguire

Celebrity Chef

Watch Neven’s Christmas in Limerick on Thursday, 4 December on RTÉ One at 8pm.

Ingredients

In the first of this two-part special, Neven’s Christmas in Limerick, Neven Maguire prepares Smoked Salmon Galettes, Glazed Rack of Pork with Creamy Roast Potatoes, and No-Bake Chocolate Tart.

Serves 8-10

For The Tart

• 300g Shortbread biscuits
• 150g Butter
• 1 Jar White Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
• 200g Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
• 100g Milk Chocolate (38% cocoa solids)
• 250ml Irish Jersey Cream

For The Citrus Caramel

• 225g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp glucose (liquid or powdered)
• 300ml orange juice
• 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
• Juice of 1 lime
• Juice of 1 clementine

For Decorating

• Amaretti Biscuits, to serve
• Crème Fraiche, to serve
• Sea Salt, to serve
• Citrus Caramel, to serve

Method

For The Citrus Caramel

1. Place the sugar, glucose and 250ml of water into a heavy-based, high-sided pot.
2. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until you have achieved a golden caramel colour. The sugar syrup should be a thick honey consistency, but not too runny.
3. Add the orange juice slowly, it will boil up vigorously, so take care at this point, whisk until the sugar has dissolved and you are left with a smooth syrup. Whisk in the vanilla seeds, lime juice and clementine juice.
4. Set aside and allow to cool and use as required.

For The Tart

1. Blitz the shortbread to a fine crumb (in a food processor or with a rolling pin and zip lock bag) and tip into a large bowl. Melt 100g of the butter in a small pan or in the microwave, then stir into the shortbread crumbs and mix until evenly combined. Press into the base and sides of a 10″ loose base tart tin.
2. Open the jar of white chocolate hazelnut spread into the microwave for 10-20 seconds (or you can use a pan) to loosen it up, then give it a good stir until smooth. Pour about half of the jar on to the shortbread base and use the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly. Place in the fridge to chill down.
3. To make the chocolate ganache, put the rest of the white chocolate hazelnut spread into a heatproof bowl along with the dark chocolate, milk chocolate and the remaining 50g of butter. Set over a pan of simmering water and allow the chocolate to melt.
4. In a small saucepan, gently heat the cream. Once the chocolate has melted completely add the warmed cream. Using a stick hand blender gently blend until combined and silky smooth. Pour into the prepared tart tin, place in the fridge for 2 hours until the ganache is set firm or overnight.
5. Remove the tart from the fridge 30 minutes before serving. To serve, carefully unmould the tart and put on a plate or cake stand, decorate with the Amaretti biscuits (if desired) cut into slices and serve with a quenelle of crème fraiche and sprinkle of sea salt.