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Pear and Chocolate Topped Tart

17/11/2023

The pear and chocolate topped tart is a delicious dessert, perfect for concluding a meal or accompanying an afternoon tea. Here’s the recipe with an Italian twist.

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry:

  • 300 g of flour
  • 150 g of cold butter, cut into pieces
  • 120 g of powdered sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • A pinch of salt

For the filling:

  • 3-4 ripe but still firm pears
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 150 g of dark chocolate
  • 2-3 tablespoons of apricot jam (optional)

For the custard cream (if you want an addition):

  • 250 ml of milk
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 50 g of sugar
  • 25 g of flour or cornstarch
  • 1 vanilla pod or a teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preparation

  1. Start by preparing the shortcrust pastry: in a bowl, combine flour and butter and work them quickly with your fingertips until the mixture is sandy. Add the powdered sugar, salt, egg, and yolk and work the dough until it is smooth. Wrap it in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

  2. Prepare the custard cream: heat the milk with the split vanilla pod (if using). In a bowl, whisk the yolk with the sugar until frothy, then add the sifted flour. Remove the vanilla from the milk and pour the hot milk over the yolk mixture, stirring constantly. Put the mixture back on the heat and warm over low heat, stirring until it thickens. Leave to cool.

  3. Roll out the shortcrust pastry into a thin layer and use it to line a buttered and floured tart mold. Prick the base with a fork and, if desired, spread a thin layer of apricot jam over the tart base.

  4. Slice the pears, sprinkle them with lemon juice, and place them on top of the jam layer or directly on the shortcrust pastry if you are not using jam. If you have prepared the custard cream, pour it onto the tart base and then arrange the pear slices on top of the cream.

  5. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave and pour it over the tart’s surface, covering the pears.

  6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-35 minutes or until the shortcrust pastry is golden brown.

  7. Let cool completely before serving.

This tart is a charming mix of sweet and fruity, with the softness of the pears divinely marrying the intensity of the dark chocolate.

Curiosity

The tart is one of the most beloved desserts in Italy, and its variant with pears and chocolate is one of the many delicious interpretations. Chocolate and pear is a classic pairing in pastry, especially popular in the Northern regions of Italy.

Pear and Chocolate Topped Tart