A Birthday-Tea Party

Caramel Chocolate Tarts
Adapted from a recipe in the Ugly Binder

1 cup (150g) plain flour
90g butter, chopped
¼ cup (55g) caster sugar
400g can sweetened condensed milk
30g butter, extra
2 tablespoons golden syrup
100g dark chocolate, melted

1. Preheat oven to moderate (180˚C). Grease two 12-hole 1½ tablespoon (30ml) mini-muffin pans.
2. Blend or process flour, butter and sugar until ingredients just come together. Press level teaspoons of butter mixture into each hole of prepared pans. Bake in moderate oven about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Meanwhile, combine condensed milk, extra butter and syrup in small saucepan; stir until smooth. Do not boil.
4. Pour hot caramel filling over hot bases; return to oven about 3 minutes or until caramel begins to brown around the edges. Allow to cool slightly (5-10 minutes) then, using a pointed vegetable knife, gently remove tarts from pans. (Don’t panic if they look a bit ‘damaged’ when you remove them from the pans, you’ll hide the worst of it with the melted chocolate! You'll also get better with practice) Cool on a cooling rack.
5. Spread top of cooled tarts with melted chocolate, stand until set.

Makes 24
This recipe can be made up to 3 days ahead. Refrigerate, covered, in an airtight container.

For those of you at ‘home’ these are the caramel tarts that I made for #2’s christening last December. They are delicious and have been a hit each time I have made them. I have to admit that the first time I made them, for the aforementioned christening, I over-reacted somewhat (who, me??) when they didn't come out of the pans looking 'strore-bought' and 'professional'. Bursting into tears and declaring that the whole event was ruined may seem melodramatic to some but to the hormonal mummy of a 12 week old who was being christened the next day, followed by a self-catered lunch for 40, it seemed a fair reaction. Luckily said child's calm and sensible Nan stepped in, handed me a tissue or seven, passed me the melted chocolate to finish the tarts and assured me we that we still had time to hit the bakery if we needed to. Today's effort was far less Oscar-worthy, and having done a taste test (well, I needed something to go with my cup of tea!) I can tell you that they are just as delicious!