Nashi Pear & Chocolate Tart

Ingredients - Pastry

225g plain flour

Pinch of salt

25g icing sugar

140g unsalted butter, chilled and diced

1 egg

1-1½ tbsp cold water

Ingredients - Filling

2 Nashi pears (optional)

400ml thickened cream

300g sweet dark chocolate (minimum 45% cocoa solids)

1 sachet gelatin

1 tbsp brandy

Cocoa powder, to dust

Method

Sift, flour, salt and icing sugar into a large bowl. Using your fingertips rub butter into flour until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Whisk egg and water together, add to flour mixture and cut in using a blunt knife until mixture looks fairly moist. Gather pastry into a ball with your hands. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill refrigerated for at least 1 hour. After 1 hour, roll out pastry and line a flan dish. Prick all over using a fork; chill refrigerated for 2 hours.

Carefully cover pastry lined flan dish with foil and fill with baking beans. Bake in a pre-heated 190 º C oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes or until pastry is cooked and light golden in colour.

Finely chop or grate chocolate. Place cream in the base of a *Le Creuset 22cm Multifunction and bring SLOWLY to a slight boil. As soon as bubbles start to appear, remove from heat and stir in chocolate whisking until smooth. Whilst still whisking, sprinkle over sachet of gelatin and mix until thoroughly combined. Stir in brandy and cool for 20 minutes. If using pears, peel, core, quarter and slice thinly; place over pastry base. Pour filling into pastry case and chill refrigerated for 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator and dust with cocoa powder just before serving.

NOTE: If Nashi pears are unavailable, replace with tinned pears. Drain pears well and pat dry using paper towel before slicing.

MAKES 8

*Le Creuset 22cm Multifunction available in Cherry Red or French Blue. RRP $259.00