This is what love is!!

Valentines Day is almost upon us!!

I wanted to post this recipe mainly because I think it is the perfect treat for some Valentines Day celebrations or any celebrations, ok not even a celebration, at any time at all really.

I’m having some difficulty naming this delicious tasty dessert since there are so many wonderful aspects and flavours. Rich white chocolate, vanilla bean , chocolate butter pastry, fresh berries, creamy marscapone cheese and delightful cream cheese.

Then there’s the shape, I managed to make two one dainty and beautiful in a fluted tart pan and another rustic and wholesome in pie form both were delicious although the pie had more of the delicious filling. Finally, would the addition of cream cheese lean towards a part cheesecake making it a cheesecake pie/tart….

Names such as

• Black & White berry cheesecake pie
• Chocolate Vanilla tart
• Double Chocolate Berry pie….

URGH!!! I don’t know what to call it other than delicious and amazing!! Any suggestions???

So the story behind the tart/pie debate came about since I made both with one recipe. I made the tart for a dinner with friends and for the beautiful blog pictures and I made the other with the remaining batter and crust in pie form for family consumption. The tart was delicious and beautiful and I managed to halt us devouring it so I could take some beautiful pictures for the blog post but alas the pictures just weren’t as great as I wanted. It was so delicious I knew I had to try get better pictures with the pie version. Hence the identification debate.

The inspiration for this dessert came about from Chocolate Marscapone Tarts over on La receta de la Felicidad and I used the pastry recipe which worked out perfectly. I completely redesigned the filling and i can vouch for how well it turned out.

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Recipe: Double Chocolate Vanilla pie wonder (Another name…)

Serves : 24cm Tart / 20cm Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 200 g flour (1 3/4 cup)
• 40 g unsweetened cocoa powder (1/3 cup)
• 1 pinch powdered cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 pinch of salt
• 80 g sugar (1/2 cup)
• 150 g butter, very cold, and cut into squares (2/3 cup)
• 60 ml Full cream milk

Filling:

• 100 g good quality white chocolate
• 250 ml fresh cream
• 100 g butter
• 1 tub mascarpone cheese at room temperature
• 1 Vanilla pod
• 200 g Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cup icing sugar (confectioners sugar, sifted)

Topping:

• Strawberries or any berries of your choice
• Chocolate sauce drizzle

Method:

1. To prepare crust: Combine Flour, sugar, cayenne pepper and salt in a large bowl. Using a grater, grate butter into bowl and using your hands work the butter into the flour mix until mixture is crumbly. Slowly add milk to the mix until it combines and comes together. Cover dough and place in a freezer for 15 min whilst heating the oven to 180C /350F.
2. Remove crust from freezer and roll into circular form that will comfortably fit into a tart pan or pie dish. Place crust onto tart pan/pie pan cutting away excess dough at the top. Blind bake pastry for 25 – 30 min at 180 C (350 F). Allow pastry to cool completely.
3. To prepare Filling: Place a medium saucepan on a low heat setting with the fresh cream. Once cream comes to a light boil, remove from heat and add chopped white chocolate and butter. Stir until all ingredients melt. Add vanilla seeds from 1 vanilla pod and stir all to combine.
4. In a seperate bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer blend cream cheese and icing sugar together, until a smooth mix forms. Add marscapone cheese and blend again until smooth. Slowly add cream, butter and chocolate mixture into the cheese mix until a thin, smooth mix results.
5. Once pastry is cooled add filling into pastry and refridgerate until set or overnight.
6. Remove from pan and decorate with berries and chocolate sauce to your hearts content.

Don’t forget to let me know what you think.