Dark Chocolate and Pear Tart

Hello all!

It's been a really long time since I last blogged. I apologise for the absence, but I really am still hanging around! 

I still bake and cook often, but unfortunately nothing very new. Hence I saw no reason posting up on this blog if I never tried my hand at something new.

Much has been going on in my life - I am now extremely busy finishing up the last year of my undergraduate studies, am busy volunteering... getting my life in order basically. 

Today's my father's birthday and I just bought a new pie pan - thought I should set aside some time to bake something nice for him. I've been fairly obsessed with pies and tarts lately, no thanks to the TV series "The Great British Bake Off" and a cute hipster shop near my place called "Windowsill Pies".  

I've taken the recipe from "Cooking from Above: Classics" book. I thought it would take me a really long time to make, but it was unexpectedly quick and easy! I did not even use a whisk or a mixer to make this tart!

Short Pie Pastry (For the crust)

Time needed: at least 1 hour waiting, and can be prepared up to 2 days before baking. 

2 heaping cups of all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons butter (about 115 grams )

1/2 cup of cold water to mix

Step 1: Put the flour, salt and cubed butter into a large bowl. 

Step 2: Use fingertips to rub butter into the flour until they resemble breadcrumbs, or a sand like texture

Step 3: Add half a glass of cold water and mix using a small butter knife. Gradually add until it becomes the consistency you want

Step 4: Dough will combine. Use your hands to lightly work it into a ball. Do not over-knead. 

Step 5: refrigerate dough for at least an hour. 

For the filling

Butter for greasing

3-4 tablespoons of sugar

4oz dark chocolate

4 ripe pears (or more), Peeled and finely sliced

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 egg

Step 1: preheat oven to 375 or 190 degrees

Step 2: Butter a 9-inch tart pan and sprinke the base with 2 tbsps of sugar. 

Step 3: Roll out pasty and line pan.

Step 4: Roughly chop the chocolate and distribute over the pastry evenly. 

Step 5: Line tart with pears in spiral fashion 

Step 6: Mix the cream, egg and remaining sugar and our over the pears

Step 7: Bake for 30-35 minutes! 

Some tips: 

1. I added a bit more whipping cream as not all of the pie was getting some of the eggy-custard goodness

2. I used smaller pears, which ended up being about 6 pears. 

3. Replaced sugar with brown sugar, and even sprinkled some on the top of the pears to give it a more caramel crispy finish

Okay! Bon appétit! 

Will try to bake another soon xoxo.