Chocolate, pears and almonds tart

Ingredients

Cocoa short crust pastry

• 5.5 tbsp (75 g) cold unsalted butter
• 1 cup (130 g) pastry flour
• 1/3 cup + 1.5 tbsp (55 g) icing sugar
• 3 tbsp (20 g) almond powder
• A generous tbsp (8 g) cocoa powder
• A pinch of salt
• 1/2 whole large egg (25 g), room temperature

Almond and dark chocolate filling

• 1/4 cup (55 g) soft unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup + 1.5 tbsp (55 g) icing sugar
• 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (55 g) almond powder
• A scant tbsp (6.5 g) pastry flour
• A medium/large whole egg (50 g), room temperature
• 2 tbsp (28 g) whipping cream
• 22 g 100% dark chocolate
• 22 g dark chocolate, 61% cocoa solids, Extra Bitter Valrhona
• A pinch of salt

Extra

• 6 pear halves in juice
• Blanched sliced almonds
• Neutral glaze

Instructions

Cocoa short crust pastry

I suggest you to use a kitchen scale.

Grease and flour an 8 inches (20 cm)  fluted tart pan with removable bottoms and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix flour and butter until you get a sandy mixture.

Then, add the sugar sifted with cocoa, salt, almond powder end the egg.

Combine until the egg is completely incorporated.

Then knead on the kitchen counter until you get a smooth shoot crusts pastry.

Between 2 sheets of baking paper, roll out the dough 4 mm thick and refrigerate for 10/15 minutes.

Then, line the tart pan, prick the base with a fork, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 12 hours.

Almond and dark chocolate filling

Heat the whipping cream with the chopped chocolates until a thick cream forms.

Set aside.

With a hand mixer on low speed, in a bowl, combine the soft butter with sugar.

Then add the almond powder, the sifted flour with salt

Combine on low speed until incorporated.

Then, add the egg in 2 batches, then add the chocolate mixture.

Combine until fully incorporated.

Pour the filling in a pastry bag and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

To bake

Heat fan oven at 302F - 150°C.

Drain the pears from the juice, pat dry with paper, then slice widthwise and set aside.

Line the tart shell with baking paper, fill with enough rice or dried beans to hold down as weights and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove the tart from the oven, remove the paper and weights and let cool for a while.

Pipe all the filling (270 g) in the tart shell, smoothing the surface with a small offset spatula.

Line the pears on the surface, sprinkle with sliced almonds and bake for 35 to 37 minutes.

On a wire rack, let the tart completely cool before unmoulding.

To serve

Brush with neutral glaze to serve.