Chocolate and Pear Tart (Tarte Chocolat Poires)

Chocolate and Pear Tart

It has been raining this week and I decided to bring MIL to the gym yesterday so that she wouldn't have to stay in the house feeling like she had travelled to Italy for the sun in vain. We had a bit of exercise, more than a bit of the sauna, hammam and jacuzzi and finished off the morning with lunch at Trattoria Aldina. Bumped into GA and LY there with their Italian teacher. That was the 2nd time in 3 years that I saw said teacher and each time she was pregnant...

This morning I had my first golf lesson in 2010 and it was quite good. Nicola smoked as usual when he's teaching, but at least he wasn't on the phone as well. Best part was that he started out by correcting the position of my left shoulder and with just that I starting shooting straight and high right away which was really motivating. I'm going to have my next lesson next Wednesday. And like the other golf instructor I met, he started telling me how good Baby Boy was at golf. I was hoping that my boy will become a famous Chef, but maybe he'll play golf instead. Sigh...

I made MIL another dessert this morning. She finished the Lemon Tart (no, I didn't burn it this time) that I made the other day almost single-handedly so I thought that it is worth the while making her another tart. I've decided on Chocolate and Pear Tart today. Inspired by a recipe that I've read once in a French food magazine I've picked up in an airport lounge.

Tarte Chocolat Poires :

Chocolate Brisée Pastry :

250g Flour

125g Butter (softened)

2 Tbsp good-quality unsweetened Cocoa powder (I used Lindt)

4 Tbsp Icing Sugar

A pinch of Salt

80ml Water

The Chocolate Pear Filling :

5 ripe Pear halves (sliced)

1 Egg + 2 Yolks

50g Icing Sugar

150g Fondant Chocolate (minimum 47% cocoa)

50g Butter

A handful of roughly crushed Almonds, Pistacchios or Pecan Nuts

This tart is very easy to make, but will have to be made at least 4 hours in advance. The brisée pastry needs to be chilled for at least 2 hours or it would be difficult to roll out. Overnight is best.

Combine all the ingredients for the dough in a mixing bowl and work them with your fingers till they are well-mixed. Pour in the water to bind the crumbs into a dough. Roll into a soft ball, wrap in clingwrap and chill in the fridge overnight. You can also replace the brisée pastry with sablée pastry which I personally prefer.

I spread clingwrap on my working surface and rolled the chilled dough till it was large enough to fill a buttered tart mould. Use a fork to make holes all over the dough and eventually cover it with kitchen parchment and weigh it down with some beans (I didn't do that). Bake for 20 minutes in an oven pre-heated at 180°C. Let it cool before filling it.

Brisée dough before being baked

Melt the butter and chocolate on high for 1 minute in the microwave and mix it well to form a smooth mixture.

Beat the eggs with the sugar till you get a creamy and thick batter.

Combine the 2 together and stir to mix well.

Pour the chocolate and egg mixture onto the brisée pastry base and press the 5 pear halves into it. Sprinkle crushed nuts over the chocolate filling.

Let the tart rest for at least an hour before serving.