experiment recipe: chocolate & pear tart

For this experiment I leant on an old favourite flavour profile pear, orange & vanilla it's a blissful combo! My thinking was pear & chocolate go well, orange & chocolate . . . there are no clashes here . .  . full steam ahead! See the bottom for all the pear, orange & vanilla refs and experimental notes to self!!

chocolate & pear tart

tart of windfall pears poached in syrup, covered in chocolate

IngredientsMakes: 1632g (12)

350g		sweet short pastry	(recipe below)
540g		pears
500g		sugar
390g		OJ
10g		vanilla essence
400g		butter
400g		dark chocolate 70%
120g		espresso

Method

For a 29cm 11.5inch fluted tart tray (loose bottomed) Using up the last of the windfall pears poached in orange and vanilla syrup.

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Make the pastry, bake blind 180C / 15m + 5m w/o baking beans.

Macerate the pears in sugar, then add OJ & vanilla, BTB, the take off the heat.

Leave for 30mins to soften & absorb flavour. [after this they make your tastebuds melt w/ delight]

Make the chocolate top.

Put, butter, choc, espresso into a small bowl > uW 1m at at time until all liquid.

Mix into a smooth chocolate sauce.

Pour a 3mm layer onto the pastry base > FZ ~30m to set the chocolate.

Drain the pears, keep syrup for mousse cake. [ding - see notes]

Place the pears into the case & cover w/ chocolate goodness!

Leave to set in the fridge - or FZ ~30m

sweet short pastry

IngredientsMakes: 1400g

750g		plain flour
30g		caster sugar
450g		butter
110g	(2)	large eggs
60g		ice cold water

Method

Flour, sugar, butter > crumb texture.

Add water & eggs bring together into pastry. Experimental notes to self: OK so the chocolate obliterated the OJ & vanilla and there weren't enough pears. Boo! It felt like it was a bit mean in terms of choc coating! : / Better next time - improvement on the experiment: x2 pears, use same amount of sugar, and just enough OJ to cover the pears after macerating. x1.5 choc coat . . . To the butter choc mix, add the orange syrup plus the same weight of chocolate so it sets properly, lightens the chocolate & matches the flavour of the fruit . . .  fingers crossed! Abbreviations: BTTB / BTB - Bring to the Boil BTBS - Bring to the Boil & Simmer uW - microwave FZ - Freezer FR - Fridge If memory serves this flavour combo came up in a few places:

Champagne Poached Pears w/ Vanilla,  Cured Serrano Ham w/ Champagne Poached Pears,  Campaign - Fight Hunger: Eat In,  Picnic At Henley Royal Regatta With Ryvita

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