Preheat oven to 180°C.

Pace the plum halves cut side up in a roasting dish(s) large enough to hold them in a single layer.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, water, vanilla and star anise. Pour evenly over the plums, coating them well.

Cover the pan with tinfoil and place in the oven for 15 minutes.

Remove the tinfoil top and cook for another 10-15 minutes, basting with the sugary syrup until the plums start to caramelise around the edges and are soft.

Allow to cool before using in the tart. Keep the syrup in a small jug to spoon over the finished tarts

Combine the flour, icing sugar, almond and cocoa in a food processor. Pulse to combine evenly.

Add diced butter and pulse until crumbly.

Add egg yolk and pulse until the pastry starts to come together. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and press into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Cream the butter and sugar, scraping down the sides as your go. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until combined.

Add the vanilla, ground almonds, flour and cocoa and mix gently until just combined.

Fold in the dark chocolate. .

First, make the chocolate pastry and roasted plums.

Grease 6 x 9cm tart tins (or one larger one, if you prefer).

Divide the pastry into 6 pieces and roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thick. Line the tart tins, pressing firmly into the sides of the tin. If it rips at all or you find that one edge is too thin, it is easy to use the leftover pastry scraps to patch it back together.

Trim the pastry to form a neat edge - I usually just roll my rolling pin over the edge to cut through the pastry. Rest the lined tart tins in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°.

Line the pastry-lined tins with foil or baking paper, making sure it covers the edges, and fill with rice or baking beans to weigh it down. Bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, take out the baking paper and rice/beans and bake for another 5 minutes.

Leave to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the chocolate frangipane.

Fill the tart shells with chocolate frangipane, then arrange 3 plum halves on top, pressing gently into the frangipane.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the frangipane has puffed up slightly and feels set when touched around the edges.

Leave to cool slightly before brushing with some of the reserved syrup for a glossy finish. To serve, reheat the plum syrup and spoon over the top of ice cream, cream, greek yogurt or mascarpone.