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Pear, chocolate and ricotta tart

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for pear, chocolate and ricotta tart.

By Emma Knowles
  • 40 mins preparation
  • 1 hr cooking plus resting
  • Serves 8 - 10
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Pear, chocolate and ricotta tart
In this tart the chocolate comes in a deliciously short pastry and chunks through the ricotta filling.

Ingredients

  • 110 gm almonds
  • 110 gm (½ cup) caster sugar
  • 500 gm firm ricotta
  • 30 ml muscat
  • 1 egg
  • Finely grated rind of 1 orange, juice of ½
  • 100 gm dark chocolate (65% cocoa solids), finely chopped
  • 2 ripe beurre Bosc pears, each cut into 5 or 6 wedges
  • 20 gm plain flour
  • 10 gm softened butter
Chocolate pastry
  • 150 gm (1 cup) plain flour
  • 55 gm (1 cup) pure icing sugar, sieved
  • 30 gm (¼ cup) almond meal
  • 25 gm Dutch-process cocoa, sieved, plus extra to serve (optional)
  • 130 gm chilled butter, diced
  • 1 egg yolk

Method

Main
  • 1
    For chocolate pastry, process dry ingredients and a pinch of sea salt in a food processor to combine, add butter and process until fine crumbs form. Add yolk, pulse until mixture starts to come together, turn onto a work surface and bring together with the heel of your hand. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to rest (1 hour).
  • 2
    Preheat oven to 180C. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface, then press into the base and sides of a 24cm x 3cm deep tart tin. Trim edges and refrigerate to rest (1 hour). Prick base all over with a fork, then blind-bake until edges darken slightly and become crisp (6-8 minutes). Remove baking paper and weights and bake until base is crisp (4-5 minutes), then set aside.
  • 3
    Blend almonds and sugar in a food processor until almonds are coarsely chopped, then set aside a quarter of the mixture in a bowl. Add ricotta, muscat, egg, rind and juice to remaining almond mixture, blend to combine, add chocolate, stir to combine, then spoon into tart case. Smooth top and arrange pear wedges on top.
  • 4
    Add flour and butter to reserved almond mixture, rub to form a crumble texture, scatter over pears and bake until topping is browned and filling sets (40-45 minutes). Cool to room temperature and serve dusted with cocoa, if you like. Best eaten on day of making.

Notes

Drink Suggestion: Sweet Marsala. Drink suggestion by Max Allen