Bittersweet Chocolate And Pear Tart Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Roll pastry out to 1/4 inch thickness and use it to line a 9-inch tart dish. Prick the pastry with a fork and then place into the freezer for 20 minutes to prevent pastry from rising during baking.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Set crust aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Heat a saucepan about 1/3-full of water to a low simmer, about 5 minutes, then reduce heat to lowest setting. Place a heat-proof bowl over the pan in such a way that it does not touch the water. Add chocolate to the bowl and allow to melt. Limit stirring to an absolute minimum to prevent chocolate from separating.
• Mix ground almonds, eggs, sugar, and butter together in a bowl. Add warm melted chocolate and stir to combine. Pour chocolate mixture into the baked pastry crust.
• Arrange pears on top of the tart by pressing them into the chocolate mixture.
• Bake in the hot oven until pastry is golden and mixture is firm, 35 to 45 minutes.

Steps:

• To prepare the crust, in a medium bowl whisk together the whole-wheat pastry flour, all- purpose flour, granulated sugar and salt. Add the butter and using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until you get a pebbly, course texture. In a small bowl combine the buttermilk and ice water. Using a fork, gradually mix the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Pat the dough into a 4-inch round and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• In the meantime, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, and prepare the filling. Peel the pears, core them and cut into 1/4-inch slices. In a large bowl toss the pear slices with the lemon juice. Sprinkle in the cornstarch, brown sugar and cinnamon and toss until the pears are evenly coated. Set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a large circle about nine inches in diameter. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and draping the dough over the rolling pin, transfer to the prepared baking sheet. If the dough breaks at all patch it up with your fingers.
• Arrange the pears in a mound in the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch boarder. Fold the border over the filling. It will only cover the pears partially and does not need to be even.
• Bake the tart for 15 minutes, and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, keeping the tart in the oven all the while, and bake for another 40 minutes, until the pears are tender and the crust is golden brown.
• In a small bowl stir together the honey and boiling water to make a glaze. When the tart is done remove it from the oven and brush the honey glaze all over the top of the fruit and crust. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly. Cut into 6 wedges and serve warm or a room temperature.

Steps:

• Place the water and lemon juice in a saucepan. Peel the pears, cut them in half and core them. As each is peeled and cored, place it in the saucepan, just covered with water.
• Add one-half cup of the sugar, bring to a simmer and cook gently about 10 minutes, until the pears are just tender. Drain the pears and place them on several thicknesses of paper towel to continue draining.
• Melt the chocolate over hot water or in a microwave oven. Beat in the butter a tablespoon at a time, then beat in the eggs.
• Mix one-third cup of the hazelnuts or almonds with the flour and the remaining sugar and stir into the chocolate mixture.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Sprinkle the remaining hazelnuts or almonds over the bottom of the baked tart shell. Cut each pear half into four thick slices and arrange the slices close together in the tart shell. Spread the chocolate mixture over the pears.
• Bake 30 minutes. Serve warm or cooled to room temperature with whipped cream on the side.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Butter the bottom and sides of an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom; set aside.
• Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Place cooled nuts in food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of the flour and pulse until finely ground. Place the ground nuts, remaining flour, and salt into a large bowl and combine. Combine the confectioners' sugar, brown sugar, and egg yolks. Using a wooden spoon combine the sugars and yolks until sugars dissolve. Add the softened butter and begin to add the flour and nut mixture. When it is well combined, form a ball and knead the dough. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap it in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Lightly flour the top and bottom of the dough and roll out between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Turn the dough out into the tart shell and press gently to line the sides. Trim the excess from the edge. Freeze the tart shell for 10 minutes.
• Line the inside of the tart shell with aluminum foil. Place 3 cups of dried beans on top of the foil and place the tart shell on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the tart shell from the oven. Cool on a rack leaving beans inside. When cool, remove the foil and beans. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Place milk in a saucepan. Boil and steep the mint and milk for 10 minutes stirring constantly. Drain and discard the fresh mint. Pour hot milk over chopped chocolate. Let stand for 20 seconds, and then whisk gently. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
• In a large bowl, whisk eggs, yolks, and sugar until blended. Slowly whisk in the chocolate mixture. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the filling into the cooled pie shell. Bake for 20 minutes or until set. Remove the tart from the oven and cool on a rack. When cool, place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with oil or cooking spray.
• Place the sheet of puff pastry on the baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely. (Turn the oven off; the rest of the tart does not require baking.)
• Meanwhile, place the sugar, chocolate chips, and cream in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
• Drain the pear halves and cut each one into 8 wedges. Place the wedges on paper towels and let drain for at least 15 minutes. (If the pears have too much juice on them it will make the chocolate watery.)
• Spread the chocolate over the top of the puff pastry, avoiding about 1 inch around the outside edge. Shingle the pear wedges over the chocolate. (The tart can be kept at room temperature for several hours before serving, but leftovers should be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated.)
• Food for Thought
• One medium pear can contain as much as 5 grams of fiber, which is beneficial to your heart, digestive system, and cholesterol levels. The same size pear contains only 100 calories even though it contains high concentrations of levulose, which is the sweetest of the natural sugars. Sweet, juicy, and healthy, how can you pass that up?

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan with butter; set aside.
• In a food processor, combine almonds and sugar; process until very finely ground. Add butter, eggs, cocoa, vanilla, salt, and almond extract, if using; process until combined. Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan.
• Peel, halve, and core pears; cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, rubbing them with lemon as you work (to prevent discoloration). Arrange slices on chocolate mixture, slightly overlapping, without pressing in.
• Place pan on a baking sheet; bake until top is puffed and a toothpick inserted in center of chocolate mixture comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
• Briefly heat jelly in the microwave or on the stove until liquefied. Gently brush pears with jelly; let set, at least 20 minutes. Remove tart from pan, and serve.