Manon's maple and chocolate ganache tart

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/Gas Mark 4. To make the pastry, crumble the butter and flour together between your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the maple sugar, then make a well to crack the egg. Use your hands to mix into a ball of dough. Use a little bit of water if it is needed. Cover in clingfilm and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

To make the maple caramel, melt the butter, cream and maple syrup in a saucepan, letting it bubble for 10 minutes until it gets thick. Avoid stirring the mixture with a spoon by lifting the pan handle and gently circulating. Remove the mixture from the pan and let it cool in another bowl.

Lightly dust a clean worktop and rolling pin with flour (to prevent sticking). Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll it out until it’s around ½cm (¼in) thick. Lay the pastry sheet over a standard 20cm (8in) fluted tart tin. Gently tuck the pastry into the edges of the tin, trimming off any excess around the sides. Remember to prick the base with a fork.

Add a layer of greaseproof paper and baking beans in the centre of the tin. Bake blind for 10 minutes in the oven, then another 8 minutes without the beans. Leave to cool. If you do not have baking beans, uncooked grains of rice work well. Once the pastry case is cooked, leave on the side to cool.

When everything has cooled down, spread the maple caramel onto the pastry, then place in the fridge (or in the freezer to save time) until the caramel has fully set.

To make the chocolate ganache, pour the cream into a pan and bring to the boil. Mix in the chocolate. Once it resembles a smooth, glossy ganache, pour on top of the tart and sprinkle with sea salt.

Decorate with the toppings of your choice – pecans, maple flakes and gold leaf work particularly well.