Chocolate pate sucre:
Put the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until soft and smooth. Add the icing sugar and beat together until smooth. Gradually incorporate the eggs, making sure the mixture becomes fully emulsified. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder and salt and mix to a smooth, homogeneous mass. Turn the dough out onto the work surface, shape it into a block and wrap it in cling film (plastic wrap). Put the dough in the fridge to rest for 2–3 hours.
Almond cream:
Put the butter and caster sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Gradually beat in the eggs and mix until combined. Fold in the ground almonds and the flour and mix until smooth.
Orange marmalade:
Remove the orange peel in long strips using a peeler, trim any white pith from the peel, finely slice and place in a muslin (cheesecloth) bag. Roughly chop the oranges and lemon, put in a saucepan with the water, both sugars and the peel in the muslin (cheesecloth) bag. Simmer over a low heat, uncovered, for about 2 hours until the fruit is tender. Remove the muslin bag and set aside to drain. Line a colander with layers of muslin and set over a bowl. Strain the contents of the pan through the muslin, then leave to drain for 30 minutes, then squeeze the remaining liquid by twisting the cloth. Return the strained liquid and the peel from the muslin to a clean pan, bring to the boil and cook until it reaches 104°C (219°F), stirring continuously. Test the marmalade is setting: spoon a small amount onto a cold plate and leave to cool. If it sets, take the marmalade off the heat and place in a sterilized jar; seal. If it does not set, try again after a few more minutes.
Grand marnier syrup:
Put the water, sugar, lemon peel and vanilla in a pan and bring to the boil. Cook for 2–3 minutes. Take off the heat and leave to cool. Once cool, add the alcohol.
Caramelised oranges:
Segment the oranges and drain, keeping the juice. Make dry amber caramel with the caster sugar remove from the heat and carefully add in the orange juice. Remove from the heat and add the segments. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes, before draining off any excess liquid.
Chocolate mousse:
Place the whipping cream 75g and the milk into a pan and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until the mix becomes light in colour, about 2-3 minutes. When the milk has boiled, pour half of it onto the egg yolk and sugar mixture and mix thoroughly. Pour this mix back into the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. (82-84°C) Take off the heat and pass through a fine sieve (strainer) onto the chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl. Using a spatula, mix until smooth and emulsified and leave to cool. Place the whipping cream into a mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Alternatively, whisk in an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture and use immediately.
Dark chocolate glacage:
Soak the gelatine in a bowl of ice-cold water for a few minutes until soft. Squeeze to remove any excess water. Put the water and sugar in a saucepan, bring to the boil, and then continue to simmer over a low heat for 2–3 minutes. Add the sifted cocoa powder and the cream. Bring back to the boil and simmer for 4–5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, add the pre-soaked gelatine and stir until dissolved. Strain, then leave to cool.
To assemble:
Prepare the orange marmalade, the chocolate pate sucree and the caramelised oranges. Make the chocolate mousse. Line the mince pie tins with mousse and place two segments of orange into each. Top up with mousse and flatten with a small stepped palette knife. Place in freezer to set for a minimum of 2 hours. Roll out pastry to 3mm thick and line the tartlet cases. Rest for one hour in the fridge. Remove tarts from the fridge and pipe 8-10gms marmalade into the base of each one. Pipe a bulb of frangipane on the top and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes
Prepare the chocolate glacage and allow to cool. Preheat oven to 180°c. Bake the tarts for 15 minutes approximately. Allow to cool and demould from the tartlet case. If necessary, level the tops of the tarts off using a serrated knife. Demould the mousse from the mince pie moulds and place on glazing rack. Glaze with the glacage and place on top of each tartlet. Decorate with dried orange zest, a chocolate stick and gold leaf.