If you are looking for a delicious dessert that will definitely impress, then this is the tart for you! I’ve made this tart a few times and it is always loved by my guests, firstly because it is such a pretty tart, and secondly because it really is delicious.
Red Wine Pear Chocolate Tart
Pastry
- 250g plain flour
- 30g cocoa
- 125g sugar
- 150g butter
- 1 egg
- pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons milk
Filling
- 200g dark chocolate (70%) chopped
- 3/4 Cup (185ml) cream
- 1/2 Cup (125ml) milk
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs
Red Wine Pears
- 1 Cup (250ml) dry red wine
- 1 Cup (250ml) port
- 1/2 Cup (100g) sugar
- 2 Star Anise
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
- 5 Kaiser pears, peeled, quartered and cored
(I like to prepare the pears the day before so they soak in the syrup overnight – you may want to double the wine & port quantities)
- To prepare the pears, combine wine, port, sugar, star anise & cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Add the pears and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, turning occasionally, for 25-30 minutes or until the pears are tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pears to a bowl. Increase the heat to high, and bring the syrup to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly. Pour over the pears. Set aside to cool, then place in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the chocolate tart.
- Beat the flour and butter using an electric mixer until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the cocoa.
- Add egg and milk. Process until dough comes together. Turn the chocolate pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth. Shape into a disc, and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to rest.
- Grease a round 24cm tart tin with removable base with pastry. Trim the excess. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cover the pastry base with baking paper & fill with ceramic pastry weights, rice or dried beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking paper and the weights and bake for a further 10 minutes or until pastry is dry & crisp. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 160°C.
- Place chocolate, cream, milk and sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring continually until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly, in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk in the eggs until combined. Pour chocolate filling into the pastry case. Bake for 30min. (until filling is set.) Allow to cool completely before decorating with the red wine pears.
- Place pear slices on top of the chocolate tart. You can use them in quarters or slice them into thinner slices. The decoration is up to you! When serving, spoon extra syrup on each plate, over the pears. Although this is a rich dessert, you can accompany it with either vanilla gelato or mascarpone.
