The light goes early this late November. I catch the last few minutes as my tart comes out of the oven. Dark, deeper colors as the sun sets casting a winter mood.
Deep dark chocolate….ground almonds…6 ripe, yet firm fall pears. Strong and delicate flavors melded to become something magical in the waning light.
Small Seckel Pears, sometimes called “sugar pears” due to their sweetness. are the perfect fit for this recipe. Pears are very abundant in markets these days with a great variety on offer.
Carefully cored and peeled, I used the stems to add a bit of style. I love the way they look when baked on top of each little pear.
Before and after baking….
…up close, ready to slice and eat.
Yum and yum.
A Winter Dessert, Deep, Dark Chocolate Almond Pear Tart
Ingredients:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened + extra for brushing on tart pan
- 6 firm, yet ripe Seckel Pears, cored, peeled, saving stems
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup almonds, whole or slivered
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp lemons zest
- powdered sugar/confectioner’s sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Brush tart pan sides and bottom with softened butter.
- Toss prepped pears with the lemon juice
- Process sugar and almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter, eggs, cocoa powder, vanilla and almond extracts, salt and zest until combined into a thick batter. Scrape batter into the tart pan and spread out evenly.
- Gently press pears into the batter around the edge of the pan evenly spaced. Insert the stems down into the pears. Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake tart until puffy, for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the batter comes out with a few wet crumbs attached. Take care to not overbake. Cool tart on a wire rack.
- Serve dusted with powdered sugar if desired.
Beautiful!
OMG that was so delicious
Simply gorgeous Teresa 😊
This looks absolutely delicious!
wow…..this is my kind of dessert……i’m sure it’s amazing…..wouter, bring us some!!!
wow. Respekt!
Just beautiful! xx
yum yum (for chocolate) yum (for pear)=yumyumyum!
This was not on your “bean diet”! Yum.
Absolutely stunning!
Oh the seduction Teresa, and so soon after Thanksgiving! Too hard to resist and I need to make something this Wednesday….it just might be this dessert! Love the almonds instead of flour in your cake. Just gorgeous.
My many thanks to you Johanne for all your comments and sweetness.
Question: you are showing 6 pears yet recipe calls for 3. Should the batter be doubled for the tart shown?
Oh good grief, my bad…six pears it is! I will change recipe. Thanks much Johnanne.
And no the batter is correct…my typing was incorrect on the pears. Again thanks so much.
Spectacular!
Many thanks to you and Happy Holidays.
stunning and delicious!
I am completely enamored! This just looks so gorgeous and the dark chocolate and pear? Yum & yum is right!