Ingredients
125 g cold unsalted butter, chopped
1½ cups plain flour
¼ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
2- 4 tsp cold water
Filling
1½ cups chopped pitted dates (275 g)
100 g unsalted butter, chopped
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 cup self-raising flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
150 g dark cooking chocolate, chopped
Vanilla ice-cream, to serve
Butterscotch sauce
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
300 ml carton pure cream
100 g unsalted butter, chopped
Method
- Lightly grease a deep, fluted 23cm round, loose-based pie tin.
- Process butter, flour and sugar in a food processor to form fine crumbs. With motor operating, add egg and enough water to form a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- To make filling, stir dates, butter, sugar and water in a large saucepan over a medium to high heat until boiling. Simmer for 7 minutes, or until dates are soft. Stir in soda. Transfer to a large bowl. Cool.
- Roll out pastry between two sheets of baking paper until large enough to line tin, about 1cm thick. Trim edge. Pinch pastry against side of tin to extend about ½cm above edge. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cover with baking paper. Fill with dried beans or rice.
- Cook in a moderate oven (180C) for 20 minutes. Remove paper and beans. Cook for a further 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool.
- Stir flour and egg into date mixture, then stir in chocolate. Spoon into pastry shell. Cook in a moderate oven (180C) for about 45 minutes, or until filling is set.
- To make sauce, stir all ingredients in a medium saucepan over a low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
- Serve warm tart with warm sauce and ice-cream.
