Chocolate and Passionfruit Tart (Heston's Exploding Chocolate Gateau)

Along with Mint Slices and Game of Thrones, Mr LP and I have a cooking show habit which has only increased now that we have a legitimate excuse to spend long stretches of time on the couch feeding our newborn and channel surfing Foxtel.

We first came across this cracking Heston Blumenthal recipe for what he calls "Exploding Chocolate Gateau" on his show How to Cook Like Heston. The tang of the passionfruit cuts through the rich creamy ganache and the secret ingredient of popping candy in the base "explodes" and fizzes on your tongue. Heston says not to tell your guests and watch their reaction as they take their first bite. It's as much fun as he promises it will be.

With the exception of tracking down the popping candy* (which turned out to be in the lolly aisle of Big W), this is the easiest tart I have made in months. Probably because I was sitting at the kitchen bench with a glass of red watching Mr LP make it the night before a family lunch. My contribution was a quick batch of custard and several taste tests.

We didn't do the paint gun thing. Call us soft if you will but in our sleep-deprived state, a dusting of good quality cocoa seemed like a good substitute. It worked beautifully and our guests were none the wiser.

Find the original recipe here.

* I could only find popping candy in strawberry flavour but we used it anyway and it added an extra zing to the base without overpowering it.

Are you a cooking show addict? Who is your favourite celebrity chef?

Larissa x