Pear & Pecan Chocolate Tart

A classic fruit and nut combo to please the tastebuds during the cooler months

BY Sascha Toopitsin, SWEET GASTRONOMY

Serves: 6 to 8
Preparation: 1hr 15mins (+ 2 hours pastry chill time)
Bake: 45mins

EQUIPMENT

Stand mixer + bowl with paddle attachment
Sieve
Long (36cm) rectangular fluted tart tin (with removable base)
Rolling pin
Baking trays / baking paper
Baking beans (or 200g of uncooked rice)
Bowls
Fry pan
Bain Marie (a water bath made using a stove top pot and bowl)

Whisk and spatula

Plastic wrap / oil spray. 

INGREDIENTS
Chocolate mousse filling

3 ripe (but firm) medium sized pears
1/4 lemon
50g pecans, chopped (or buy 'halves & sections')
225g (65% cocoa) chocolate callets (or block, chopped)
150g butter, softened
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
40g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste. 

INGREDIENTS
Sweet chocolate pastry tart base (will make two bases)
100g icing sugar
30g hazelnut meal
200g plain flour
135g butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 egg
25g cocoa powder

METHOD

To make the pastry tart base

1. Place icing sugar, hazelnut meal, plain flour, butter and vanilla bean paste into the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Use the paddle attachment to beat ingredients on low speed until combined.
3. Add the egg to the mixture and beat until absorbed.
4. Sift in cocoa powder and beat until combined and the mixture forms a dough.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead into a ball and then flatten into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and chill dough in the fridge for 2 hours. 

Baking the pastry tart base

1. Prepare tart tin by lightly spraying with oil.
2. Roll out dough until you have a large enough rectangle to fill the tart tin base and sides and the dough is 2mm thick.
3. Gently lift the dough and place into the tin. Press dough down into the tin. Trim any overhanging dough. Use to fill any gaps. Use a fork to prick the base of the dough.
4. Chill dough/tin in the fridge for 30 mins.
5. Remove from fridge and place a sheet of baking paper over the dough and fill with baking beans (or rice).
6. Place tart tin on a baking tray and place into a preheated oven (180 degrees celsius). Bake for 15mins. 
7. Remove baking paper and baking beans. Bake for a further 5mins until a light crust forms. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

To make the filling

1. Place pecans on baking paper and tray and bake for 5mins. Remove and set aside to cool.
2. Half fill a large bowl with cold water. Squeeze juice of lemon into the water. 
3. Peel pears and cut into quarters. Then in half again, to get thin slices. Remove centre core sections with seeds. Place slices into the lemon water, so they do not brown until ready to use.
4. Place 10g of butter into a medium heated fry pan. Place pear slices into pan and allow to caramelise on each side. Approx 5 mins per side. Remove from pan and allow to cool.
5. Using a Bain Marie, melt the chocolate callets. Add the butter and combine to form a smooth, silky mixture.
6. Pour mixture into the pastry tart shell, until 3/4 full. Sprinkle a few pecans onto the mixture.
7. Place pear slices in,  in an attractive pattern. Sprinkle the rest of pecans ontop.
8. Bake for approximately 20-25mins, until the mixture is set/firm. Remove and allow to cool. the tart will firm up when completely cooled.
9. Serve with a decadent butterscotch sauce or a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.