You'll only need a small slice of this, honest! This is also well-received when you invite your friends over for something sweet and serve this with coffee and your favourite tipple!
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 225g plain flour
- 110g butter, chilled and diced
- 30g icing sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 egg yolk, beaten
For the Filling:
- 60g caster sugar
- 125ml white wine
- 125ml water
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 2 pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 300g dark chocolate
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 220ml double cream
- 6 small rosemary sprigs, to decorate
Method
Yes there's chocolate and tart but the pear makes this one of your five a day must-haves!
- To make the pastry, sieve the flour into a bowl. Add the diced butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Sieve in the icing sugar and stir to combine. Mix together the egg and the egg yolk, then stir most of the egg into the flour to form a soft pastry.
- Shape the pastry into a ball and wrap in cling film. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to let the dough rest before rolling it out.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Butter a 20cm-long rectangular loose-bottomed tart tin.
- Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll out the pastry until it's slightly bigger than the tin. Line the tin with the pastry and gently prick the base with a fork without piercing through.
- Place in the fridge to rest for approximately 10 minutes, then line with parchment paper and fill with baking beans or rice. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until fully baked. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, to prepare the poached pears, put the sugar, white wine, water and lemon juice into a saucepan.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until a thick syrup forms. Add the pear slices and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until just soft.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C/fan 150°C/gas 3.
- Place the chocolate in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water (Bain Marie) and melt. Whisk in the eggs and cream, taking care not to curdle the eggs, until a thick consistency is formed.
- Allow to cool slightly, then pour into the baked pastry shell. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until just set.
- Allow to cool completely, then decorate with the poached pear slices and some fresh rosemary sprigs.
Note:
This is also well-received when you invite your friends over for something sweet and serve this with coffee and your favourite tipple!
