CarlyCoos Cakes

Chocolate, Almond and Pear Tart

To make the almond pastry:
225g plain flour
a pinch of salt
85g ground almonds
170g unsalted butter
85g icing sugar
1 egg
2 - 3 drops vanilla extract
1 tbsp cocoa powder

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until the dough just comes together.

Roll the pastry into a ball trying to handle it as little as possible, then lay on a baking sheet and roll out to flatten a little, cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out and roll over a flan tin then press into the bottom and sides of the tin, then place a sheet of greaseproof paper over the top and fill with baking beans/dried beans and blind bake in a preheated 180'c/Gas Mark 4 oven for 25 minutes, then remove the beans and greaseproof paper and bake for a further 5 minutes.

To make the filling:
55g plain flour
85g ground almonds
115g golden caster sugar
115g butter, softened
4 large eggs
250g plain chocolate melted and cooled for 10 minutes
2 tbsp Amaretto liqueur (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 x 400g tin of pear halves
creme fraiche to serve (optional)


Preheat the oven to 200'c/Gas Mark 6.


Place the flour, ground almonds, sugar, butter, eggs, chocolate, amaretto (if using) and vanilla extract in a food processor and blend until it has combined to form a batter.  Pour the batter into the tart case and lay the pears on top pushing them down firmly as you go.


Put the tart in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the tart looks firm on top and the pears are surrounded by a gooey chocolate.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool, serve warm or cold with creme fraiche.