Ingredients

• 50g blanched almonds
• 200g caster sugar
• ¼ cupwater

• 185g butter
• 2 ¼ cups plain flour
• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2-3 tablespoons chilled water

• 340g tin of condensed milk
• 20g butter
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• Salt flakes

• 200g dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
• 200g dark chocolate (40-50%), finely chopped
• 300ml thickened cream

• 3 egg whites
• ¾ cupcaster sugar
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Pistachio Persian fairy floss (Pashmak), to serve

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Method

1. For almond praline balls, preheat oven to 180°C. Place blanched almonds onto a baking tray and bake until golden. Process toasted almonds until coarse crumbs. Place sugar and water into a small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves then increase heat until softball stage (120°C on candy thermometer) or when the sides of the pan start to go golden but before the entire caramel is golden. Stir in nuts and pour onto a lined with baking paper to cool. When cool enough to handle roll into small pea sized balls.

2. For pastry, process butter, flour and icing sugar in a food processor until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of chilled water and process until dough together, adding more water if required. Wrap in cling film and chill for 20 minutes in refrigerator. Roll out to 5mm thick and cut out 10 x 10cm circles. Press to fit into 10 x 8cm tart tins with a little excess. Chill for 10 minutes. Trim tart edges and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

3. For caramel, pour condensed milk into a small saucepan and heat over low heat until runny. Add butter and golden syrup and stir over a medium heat until golden and thickened. Chill, pour into tart cases and sprinkle with salt.

4. For chocolate ganache, place 70% and 40-50% dark chocolate into a medium to large bowl. Pour cream into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Allow to cool slightly then pour over the chocolate, stir until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Pour into tarts and leave to set. When ready to serve remove tarts from tins.

5. For meringues, reduce oven to 100°C. Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form, pour in caster sugar a little at a time until sugar is dissolved. Add vinegar and place meringue into a piping bag fitted with a small round 5mm nozzle. Pipe little buds of meringue onto a lined baking tray and bake for 30 minutes. Turn oven off and leave to cool until ready to serve.

6. Serve tarts with meringues, praline and pashmak in separate dishes.