Method

For the Raspberry Gel and Reduction

1. Into a medium heat-proof bowl, add the frozen raspberries and pour the sugar over the top. Toss them gently to combine. Tightly wrap the surface of the bowl with cling film so that it is completely sealed.

2. Place a medium saucepan on the hob, filling it ⅓ with water. Bring this to a gentle simmer.

3. Immediately lower the heat to its lowest setting and place the bowl of raspberries on top. Let this sit on the pan for 2 hours.

4. After 2 hours, place a sieve lined with kitchen paper over a large bowl and pour the cooked raspberries into the sieve. 

5. Place the bowl into the fridge for 2 hours (or ideally overnight), allowing the raspberry syrup to drip into the bowl underneath.

6. Scoop the raspberry reduction out of the sieve and scoop this into a bowl. Cover it and refrigerate until ready to use. 

7. Take the raspberry liquid from the bowl, and pour it into a jug sitting on a digital scale. For every 100g of raspberry syrup, we are going to add 1g of agar agar powder. (So for example, if the liquid weighs 120g, add 1.2g of agar agar powder)

8. Add the raspberry syrup and the agar agar powder into a saucepan and bring it to a boil, whisking to combine. Once at a boil, cook for 1 minute.

9. Remove it from the heat and pour it onto a shallow baking tray and set it in the fridge to cool until firm to the touch (this should take about 30 minutes). 

10. Once firm, break the gel into pieces and blend until smooth. Set this gel aside, covered in the fridge, until ready to use.

For the Dough

1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add milk, eggs and yeast. On top of that, pour the flour, sugar & finally the salt. Add in the lemon zest & vanilla.

2. Knead the dough for 10 minutes on a medium low speed, scraping down the sides half way through to make sure everything is incorporated.

3. After 10 minutes, add in the cubed cold butter a little at a time, and increase the speed to medium. Once all the butter has incorporated, knead for a further 3 minutes by which point the dough should be nice and smooth.

4. Lift the dough out of the bowl and onto your work surface. Gently shape it into a smooth round ball and lift it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with cling film and proof the dough for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

5. Once proofed, remove the dough from the bowl and cut it into 100g pieces. You should get 6 pieces of dough in total.

6. Take each piece of dough and roughly shape it into a tight ball. Then, using your hand, flatten the dough into a rough oval shape, flip it over, so the smooth side is now facing down, and the short edge of the dough is facing towards you.

7. If the dough has started to contract, just press it out again with your fingers.

8. Use your fingers to gently blend the bottom edge of the dough into the work surface. Then, starting at the top, tightly roll the dough on itself, into a log shape. You might need a tiny bit of flour on your hands as you do this, but avoid using too much or it will prevent the dough from sticking together. 

9. Once you’ve got the log shape, gently roll it back and forth on the surface, and then use your fingers to apply some pressure at the ends of the dough, pressing down and rocking the dough back and forth, to form small ‘tails’ on the end of the dough (almost like a baguette)

10. Carefully lift the dough, seams side down, onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and repeat with the remaining dough. 

11. Cover the dough loosely with a tea towel and allow it to proof again for another 1-1.5 hours until the dough has increased in size about 1.5x.

12. Just before the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 180C/355F (non-fan assisted).

13. Prepare the egg wash by whisking together the egg and milk.

14. Use a pastry brush to paint an even coating over the dough and then place the dough into the oven and bake for around 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

15. Remove from the oven and lift them onto a wire cooling rack, to cool completely.

For the cream

1. In a stand mixer, whisk together the double cream and icing sugar until you have a medium peak.

Assembly

1. Cut your bun down the centre (like a hot dog!) and add a small amount of the raspberry pulp across the bottom of the bun. I wouldn’t recommend overloading your bun with this! If you want to take this to the next level, you can also add some crème pâtissière from Tier 1 too! 

2. Fill the rest of the bun with the whipped cream. Then, using a warm palette knife, scrape across the edge of the bun to smooth the cream and create a nice clean finish. You’ll be left with a little cream around the edges, so I tend to use my (clean!) finger to remove this.

3. Next, add your raspberry gel to a piping bag and cut a small hole at the end. Pipe the gel onto your bun as you wish. I went full-on hot dog and piped mine like ketchup in a zigzag pattern over the cream.

4. Finally, dust your optional raspberry powder over the top of the bun, and add the optional edible flowers. Repeat for all buns. 

Method

For the Dough

1. In a bowl, mix together the milk, eggs and yeast.

2. On top of that, pour the flour, sugar & finally the salt. Add in the lemon zest & vanilla. 

3. Using a dough scraper, combine all the ingredients until there is no liquid left over. You’ll be left with a rough dough.

4. On a clean surface, knead the dough together. To do this, hold the edge of the dough with your non-dominant hand, then with the heel of your dominant hand push the dough away from you, and then pull it over back towards you. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat for 10 minutes. (Alternatively knead in a stand mixer for 10 minutes on a medium low speed, scraping down the sides halfway through to make sure everything is incorporated). You should be left with a smoother dough, but not very elastic.

5. Add the cubed cold butter into the centre of your dough and continue to knead. If kneading by hand, you’ll want to move a little faster and can push with the heel of your hand a few times before rotating. If using a stand mixer, increase the speed to medium. Once all the butter has been incorporated, knead for a further 3 minutes by which point the dough should be nice and smooth.

6. Lift the dough out of the bowl and onto your work surface. Gently shape it into a smooth round ball and lift it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with cling film and proof the dough for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size. *You can make the Crème Pâtissière during this time. 

7. Once proofed, remove the dough from the bowl and cut it into 85g pieces. You should get 7 pieces of dough in total.

8. Take a piece of dough rough side up and pinch around the edges, bringing the dough into the centre (this creates tension to help create a more smooth ball). Then turn the dough smooth side up and, with your hand in a C shape, circle your hand repeatedly around the dough to make a nice even ball. 

9. Carefully lift the dough ball onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and repeat with the remaining dough. 

10. Cover the dough loosely with a tea towel and allow it to proof again for another 1-1.5 hours until the dough has increased in size about 1.5x.

11. Just before the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 180C/355F (non-fan assisted).

12. Prepare the egg wash by whisking together the egg and milk.

13. Use a pastry brush to paint an even coating over the dough and then place the dough into the oven and bake for around 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

14. Remove from the oven and lift them onto a wire cooling rack, to cool completely.

For the Crème Pâtissière

1. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolk, sugar, salt and cornflour for 30 seconds until thick.

2. To a saucepan over a medium heat, add the whole milk and vanilla bean paste. Gently whisk until the milk is steaming (but not boiling).

3. Once steaming, slowly pour the hot milk over the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the combined mixture back into the pan and cook on a medium heat. Keep whisking and then once it starts to bubble, cook for a further minute.

4. Next, pass the mixture through a sieve over a bowl with the cold butter in. Whisk to combine.

5. Cover the surface of the mixture directly with cling film, then chill until you’re ready to assemble your buns.

For the cream

1. In a stand mixer (or by hand if you wish!), whisk together the double cream and icing sugar until you have a medium peak.

Assembly

1. Whisk the crème pâtissière for about 30 seconds by hand, to loosen it, then add it to a piping bag.

2. Once your buns are cooled, starting slightly off-centre, cut through the bun with a knife at 45 degree angle. Don’t cut all the way through the bun (watch the video!).

3. Pipe some crème pâtissière into the corner of the bun, filling it about ⅕ full.

4. Fill the rest of the bun with the whipped cream. Then, using a warm palette knife, scrape across the edge of the bun to smooth the cream and create a nice clean finish. You’ll be left with a little cream across the edges, so I tend to use my (clean!) finger to remove this.

5. Repeat with all the buns, then dust with icing sugar to finish.

Method

Chocolate pastry and egg wash

1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sift in the sugar. Add the butter and the cocoa powder.
2. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture forms a smooth paste, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed.
3. Add in the egg yolks, scrape down the sides and beat for 30 seconds, or until incorporated.
4. Scrape down the bowl once again to ensure no butter is stuck to the sides. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed for about 20 to 30 seconds, or until the mixture pulls together into a dough.
5. Remove the dough from the bowl and gently work it into a disc shape. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap/cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Take the dough out of the fridge and gently squeeze it, using your hands to test the firmness. You want the dough to be slightly pliable but still cold. If the dough is too soft it will get sticky as you roll, but if it is too cold it will crack. It might need a minute or two at room temperature to get it to the right consistency.
7. Lightly flour the dough and your rolling pin, and working quickly, roll the dough into a rough circle until the pastry is relatively thin, about 0.15 to 0.20-inch (4mm to 5mm) thick. Lift the dough up occasionally and lightly flour underneath to prevent it from sticking. If the dough is tearing or feels too warm, place it on a baking tray and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes, then try again.
8. Place your rolling pin at the top of the circle and fold the top edge of the dough over the rolling pin. Pull the rolling pin back towards you, which will wrap the dough around the rolling pin.
9. Starting at the bottom edge of your fluted tart tin, carefully unroll the dough from the rolling pin, to cover the entire tin.
10. Use your fingers to gently press the dough into the edges of the fluted indents. If the dough is tearing, simply take any excess pastry and patch the holes.
11. Take the rolling pin, and pressing firmly against the top of the tin, roll it over the entire tin to trim away the excess dough. Place the tin on a tray and pop it into the freezer for 30 minutes. Pre-heat your oven to 350°F/175°C.
12. Cut a large circle of parchment/baking paper, and scrunch this up a few times so that it is flexible. Remove the tray from the freezer and use a fork to poke holes evenly across the base of the pastry. 
13. Place the parchment/baking paper on the inside of the pastry and press it into the edges. Pour your baking beans or rice into the base and spread them out. Place the tray with the tin on in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
14. After 25 minutes, remove the tray from the oven and carefully lift out the parchment paper with the baking beans on. Return the tray to the oven and continue to bake until the pastry is an even golden color—about 5-10 minutes.
15. Remove the tray from the oven and allow the pastry to cool for 10 minutes.
16. Very carefully remove the pastry from the tin, keeping the removable base on the bottom. Really thoroughly mix together the ingredients for the egg wash to make sure the cocoa powder is incorporated.
17. Using a pastry brush, lightly egg wash the inside and outside of the tart shell. Place it onto the tray and back into the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the egg wash has completely set
18. Remove the tart from the oven, allowing it to cool slightly. It is now ready to add your filling.

Filling

1. Lower the oven temperature to 285°F/140°C.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, and salt for 1 minute.
3. In a small saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, combine the cream and milk. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then slowly pour it over the egg mixture and whisk constantly until combined.
4. Place the melted chocolate in a medium bowl and slowly pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate, using a spatula to stir in small circles in the center of the bowl (ensure the melted chocolate is warm for this step). Use a spoon to scoop off any foam from the top.

Assembly

1. Place the baked tart case, still in the pan, on a baking tray in the center of the oven. Carefully pour the chocolate filling into the tart shell, filling it just below the lip of the tart shell. Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until there’s a wobble about 3” (7.5cm) big in the center of the tart. 
2. Remove the tray from the oven and allow the tart to cool to room temperature before placing it in the fridge for 2 hours. 
3. Remove the tart from the fridge and pop it out of the pan and onto your serving plate. oven. Decorate the tart with a dusting of cocoa powder around the edges. 

Method

Chocolate pastry and egg wash

1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sift in the sugar. Add the butter and the cocoa powder.
2. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture forms a smooth paste, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed.
3. Add in the egg yolks, scrape down the sides and beat for 30 seconds, or until incorporated.
4. Scrape down the bowl once again to ensure no butter is stuck to the sides. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed for about 20 to 30 seconds, or until the mixture pulls together into a dough.
5. Squeeze the mixture in your hand to form a rough ball. Place the ball of dough onto a silicone mat. Place a second silicone mat on top and roll the mixture into a rough rectangle, getting it around 0.15 to 0.2 inch (4mm to 5mm) thick. If you don’t have silicone mats you can roll the dough between parchment paper, but it will be more difficult as it has less grip. Place it in the freezer for 20 minutes.
6. While the dough is chilling, take the perforated tart ring and very lightly grease the inside with soft butter. This helps to prevent the dough from sticking to the ring.
   
7. Remove the chilled dough from the freezer and, working quickly, peel the top silicone mat off of the dough. Press the 4 tart rings firmly into the dough, lift them up, and transfer them to a perforated tray lined with a perforated baking mat. The dough should be cold enough that it attaches to the ring as you lift it up. Place the tray in the fridge while you cut the walls.
8. With the remaining dough, use a ruler and a sharp knife to cut 4 strips of dough each measuring 9.6 x 0.9 inches (24.4 x 2.3cm). These measurements seem quite precise, but this will ensure the dough fits perfectly into the tart rings with no excess overlapping. If they feel too warm to lift up, place them back in the freezer for 5 minutes just so they can cool back down slightly. 
9. Remove the baking tray with the tart bases from the fridge and remove one strip of dough for the walls.
   
10. Working quickly, take the strip of dough and place it inside the tart ring. Use your fingers to gently press together this strip of dough, against the base of the tart. The idea is to slightly push down the wall of dough so that it meets the dough on the base of the tart shell and there are no gaps. If at any point you feel the dough is too warm or is tearing, place everything back in the freezer for 10 minutes then carry on.
    
11. Repeat this with the remaining tarts, again, chilling the dough if needed. At this point, squeeze together the remaining scraps of dough, and repeat the process, rolling the dough and chilling it, so that you can create the final 2 tart shells. 
12. Once you have lined all the tart shells, avoid trying to move them in case the dough tears. Chill the entire tray for 15 minutes and pre-heat your oven to 350°F/175°C.
13. Remove the shells from the freezer and holding a knife perpendicular to the tart shell, trim off the excess pastry hanging over the tart ring so that the pastry is flush.
14. Place the tart shells in the oven, and bake for 15 minutes. While they bake, thoroughly whisk together the ingredients for the egg wash. 
15. Remove the tarts from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes. At this point, the pastry should have retracted slightly from the ring mold, and you should be able to lift it off easily.
16. Lift the shells up and using a pastry brush, apply an even egg wash all over the tart. Place them back on the tray and into the oven for a further 5-8 minutes. The pastry is blind baked now ready to add your filling. 

Namelaka

1. In a small bowl, combine the powdered gelatin and cold water. Mix well and allow to bloom for 5 minutes.
2. To a medium bowl, add the chocolate and place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water without allowing the bowl to touch the water. Stir until the chocolate has completely melted. Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.
3. To a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and glucose. Stir the mixture until steaming. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until it completely dissolves. 
4. Slowly pour this mixture over the melted chocolate, stirring in small circles in the center of the chocolate as you pour. Initially, the mixture will look quite split and oily, but as you add the remaining milk, everything will pull together.
5. Add the cold cream and use a hand blender or a hand whisk to mix until combined. Cover the surface with plastic wrap/cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 5 hours or ideally overnight.

Salted Caramel

1. In a medium saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, combine the milk, heavy cream, and 23 grams of corn/glucose syrup. Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking the mixture to ensure the syrup has fully dissolved. Remove the saucepan from the heat but ensure the mixture stays warm.
2. In a medium saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, combine the superfine/caster sugar and the remaining 45 grams of glucose sugar. Cook until the mixture turns a deep caramel color, whisking slowly to help disperse the sugar.
3. Once golden, immediately pour in the hot cream mixture, being very careful as it will bubble up violently. Whisk the mixture and cook for 1 minute.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the mixture through a sieve and into a large bowl. Let the mixture cool for 2 minutes. Add the sea salt flakes and butter. Blend or whisk until smooth. 
5. Pour the mixture into a container and chill for at least 3 hours

Filling

1. Lower the oven temperature to 285°F/140°C.
2. To a medium bowl, add the chocolate and place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has completely melted. Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and salt for 1 minute. 
4. In a small saucepan over a medium heat, combine the milk and cream. Heat until the mixture is steaming. 
5. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the eggs, whisking to combine as you pour.
6. Slowly pour this mixture over the melted chocolate, using a spatula to stir the mixture in small circles in the center as you pour. Once everything has been combined, use a spoon to scoop off any foamy bubbles on the top.

Assembly

1. Place the tray with the tarts on, in the middle of the oven and carefully pour in the chocolate filling—just to the top of the tart shell. Bake for about 25 or 30 minutes or until they have a very small wobble in the center. 
2. Remove the tarts from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature before refrigerating for 3 hours. 
3. Remove the namelaka from the fridge and add it to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until you get a medium–stiff peak. 
4. Add the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a small St. Honore nozzle. Holding the piping bag just slightly below vertical, pipe the namelaka around the outside edge of the tart in a zigzag motion, leaving a small gap in the center. If you have a cake turntable, this can make it a little easier to spin the tart as you pipe.
5. Add the salted caramel to a piping bag and snip a small hole off the end. Pipe this into the center of the tart.
6. Allow the tarts to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.