An easy press-in cacao dusted shortbread crust, pear and toasted hazelnut filling topped with thinly sliced Bosc pears.
Course Pie
Cuisine Mediterranean Fusion
Keyword Chocolate Crusted Pear Hazelnut Tart
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour10 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour40 minutesminutes
Servings 8servings
Equipment
Food processor
9-inch removable bottom tart pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Tart Crust
1 3/4cupAll purpose flour
1/3cupRaw cacao
8tbspUnsalted cold butter
2tbspSugar
1/2tspSalt
1Egg white
2tbspIce cold wateror as needed
Pear Filling
1cupHazelnutslightly toasted and crushed into flour
1Large bosc pearpeeled and finely chopped
1tbspUnsalted butter
1/2cupSugar
4ozMascarponeor cream cheese
1Whole egg
1Egg yolk
Pear Topping
3Large bosc pearsunpeeled, long thin quarter-inch slices
1tbspCoarse sugar
Instructions
Crust Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.In a food processor, place the butter, sugar and cacao and blitz until crumbled in texture. Add the flour and salt. Whisk to blend.
While the machine is running, pour in the egg white, followed by small amounts of ice water until the pastry forms a soft ball.
Transfer to the removable bottom tart pan and press into place, using a pastry roller to flatten the bottom and fingers to pinch and press up the sides. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and set aside.
Filling Preparation
In a small saucepan, lightly toast the hazelnuts. Transfer to the food processor and crush the nuts into a flour. Set Aside.
In the same saucepan, place 1 tablespoon of butter and melt over medium heat. Add 1 peeled and finely chopped pear, along with sugar. Simmer, covered, until the pear is soft and sugar slightly caramelized. Remove from stove top.
Whisk in the crushed hazelnuts until well blended. Whisk in the mascarpone completely. Whisk in the remaining eggs.Transfer the filling to the prepared chocolate tart pastry.
Pear Topping
Take care to slice pears thin and keep their curvy shape. Arrange the thinly sliced sliced pear slices across the top of the filling. Sprinkle with a little coarse sugar on the top of the pears.
Bake until the crust has started to move away from the edges of the pan and the top is firm, about 50-55 minutes. Cool and serve.