Lately I've been getting a whole lot of. . .
. . . pears in my CSA box. They are beautiful and delicious all by themselves, but they're also amazing. . .
. . . when paired with dark chocolate. . .
. . . just a hint of cinnamon. . .
. . . and a dollop of cream. This tart did not last long.
Chocolate Pear Tart
Ingredients:
Crust
- One rounded cup all purpose flour
- 3 oz unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons water
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 4 medium pears (your favorite variety)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2-4 oz dark semisweet chocolate
- 1-1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
To start, I returned to my favorite no-fuss tart shell via David Lebovitz
Preheat the oven to 410.
Place the flour, water, oil, salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in an ovenproof bowl. Leave it in there until the butter is melted and bubbling and just beginning to brown.
Pull the bowl out of the oven with an oven mitt or cloth and use that to stabilize the hot bowl while you quickly mix in the flour. When it forms a ball and pulls away from the edges transfer it to a prepared tart tin (I didn't have one so I just used my spring form tin). The dough will be hot, so be careful. When it has cooled enough to handle, press it out into the tin with your hands, trying to keep it as even as possible. Prick all over with a fork and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until it is golden. Set aside.
Lower the oven to 400
Peel, core, and slice the pears into slices that are a tiny bit thinner than 1/4". Take a few of the odd shaped end pieces and set them aside. Toss the rest of the pears gently in the lemon juice and cinnamon and arrange into a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until they are tender, fragrant and a little dry to the touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a moment. While they are cooking, take the pear end pieces you set aside and simmer them in a sauce pot with the 1/3 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup of water. Reduce until the syrup thickens. Set aside.
For the chocolate filling, there are two routes you could go depending on how chocolate heavy you'd like your tart.
If you prefer the pears to do most of the talking, simply heat 2oz of semisweet chocolate in a double boiler or in a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. When the chocolate is melted paint a thin layer onto the inside of the tart shell.
If you'd like your chocolate to raise its voice a bit more, make a half batch of this foolproof ganache and pour it in the tart.
Once your chocolate of choice is in place gently arrange your pears on the tart in concentric circles. Brush just the fruit with the pear syrup.
Whip one cup of heavy cream and add the vanilla. I prefer not to sweeten the cream as it allows the pears to really shine, but feel free to add a hint of sugar if it calls to you.
Happy Fall!
~ Sarah
*Last time in Recipes: Easy Wholegrain Breakfast
