Like most things in 2020, cookery has jumped into the virtual realm and Master Pastry Chef, Shane Smith has been busy making Ireland's tastiest Christmas Advent Calendar ready for a tasty festival season ahead!. He has collaborated with 11 of the country's most loved food producers and has created 25 festive sweet & savoury show-stopping recipes using their products.

Master Pastry Chef, Shane Smith is steadily becoming Ireland’s best well-known patisserie and baking figure, regularly featuring on RTÉ's Today Show and contributing his signature delectable, colourful & tasty recipes to national media outlets.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a notable shift in consumer support for Irish business and produce, there will be a lot of goodwill, particularly at Christmas to shop Irish. Plus the take up of baking and home cooking has soared so this is a great opportunity to bring these together and Shane   hopes his Advent Calendar series will inspire people to support Irish this Christmas. For more information follow Shane on instagram, facebook and twitter

We have the recipe here for Aine’s Chocolate and orange gingerbread tart

Serves 10

 

Ginger pastry

125g butter

125g caster sugar

1 medium egg

dash vanilla

250g plain flour

1/2 tbsp ground ginger

 

Filling

680g Aines chocolate Orange bar

480ml cream

80g butter

 

Method

For the pastry, in a bowl, cream the butter and sugar until soft and pale in colour.

Add the egg and vanilla and mix.

Finally add the plain flour and ground ginger and mix until you have a soft dough.

Wrap and chill for 30 minutes before needed.

Grease and flour a 10” loose bottom tart ring.

Once the pastry is rested, roll out onto a floured surface until 1/2cm in thickness.

Line the tart ring and trim any excess pastry. Re roll the excess pastry and cut out some festive star shapes.

Chill for 10 minutes

Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/ 350F/Gas 4.

Line the tart with parchment and fill with baking beans or rice.

Blind bake for 10-12 minutes until the top of the pastry turns golden brown.

Remove the parchment paper and baking beans and return to the oven for a further 6 minutes until golden brown all over.

You can add the star biscuits for the final 6 minutes or until golden brown.

Set both aside to cool.

For the filling, heat the cream and pour over Aines dark chocolate and orange chopped chocolate

Allow to sit for five minutes, add the butter and stir until everything is combined.

Pour this filling into the tart and place in the fridge to firm up over night.

 

To serve, dust the gingerbread stars with icing sugar and place on top of the chocolate, garnish with orange rind and cranberries.

Take the tart out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving.