Pear and Spiced Chocolate Tart

By maredan

Ingredients

• 3 Anjou or Bartlett pears, peeled, halved and cored
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 6 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 large egg

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Directions
Bring pears, sugar, water and lemon juice up to a simmer. Cook pear just below a simmer (and place a plate or piece of parchment over surface of liquid to keep pears from floating) until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. After pears have cooled a bit, remove from liquid, sprinkle with brandy, toss and chill until ready to serve.
To prepare crust, cream butter and sugar together. Stir in egg yolks, adding one at a time. Sift together flour, cocoa and salt and add to butter mixture. Mix until dough just comes together. Shape in to a disc and chill until ready to roll. If preparing ahead of time, pull dough from fridge an hour before rolling.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to just over ¼-inch (.5 cm) thick. Line a 9-inch (23 cm) removable-bottom tart shell with dough, trim edges and chill for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Dock pastry with a fork and bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 F (160 C). Place chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Heat cream with spices to just below a simmer and pour over chocolate. Let it sit for a minute, then stir slowly. Stir in vanilla.
Whisk egg in a small cup then stir into chocolate. Pour into chocolate shell and bake for 12 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes, then chill for 2 hours before serving.
To garnish with pears, slice, pears thinly and arrange over tart.