Pear and Chocolate Tart

Ingredients

• 1 shortcrust pastry crust
• 6.5 ounces 70% dark chocolate , chopped
• 1.5 cups ground almonds
• 2 eggs
• 0.5 cups superfine sugar
• 6.5 tablespoons butter , softened
• 3 pearss - peeled , cored, and quartered

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. 2

   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.

3. 3

   Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Set crust aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

4. 4

   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.

5. 5

   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.

6. 6

   Arrange pears on top of the tart by pressing them into the chocolate mixture.

7. 7

   Bake in the hot oven until pastry is golden and mixture is firm, 35 to 45 minutes.