150g/5½oz dairy-free dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, chopped or broken into pieces
50g/1¾oz/¼ cup fruit sugar or caster sugar
50g/1¾oz dairy-free margarine, plus extra for greasing
4 eggs, beaten
Pastry:
75g/2½oz/heaped ¹⁄₃ cup rice flour, plus extra as needed
75g/2½oz/²⁄₃ cup gram flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
50g/1¾oz/scant ½ cup ground almonds
50g/1¾oz/scant ¹⁄₃ cup fruit sugar or caster sugar
80g/2¾oz chilled dairy-free margarine, diced
1 large egg, beaten
Method
To make the pastry, sift the flours and xanthan gum into the bowl of a food processor and blend well. Stir in the almonds and sugar. Add the dairy-free margarine and blend until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and blend for 20–30 seconds until the mixture comes together to form a sticky dough. There should be a little extra moisture at the base of the bowl. If it is too dry, gradually add 1–2 tablespoons chilled water. If too sticky, add a little rice flour.
Shape the pastry into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Grease a loose-based 20cm/8in tart tin with dairy-free margarine and line the base with baking parchment. Liberally dust a chopping board with rice flour and roll out the pastry into a circle slightly larger than the tart tin, to allow enough pastry for the side, then neaten the edge, using a sharp knife. Be careful as the pastry will still be slightly sticky. Put the tin, face-down, on top of the pastry and turn the board over to drop the pastry into the tin. Ease the pastry into place, pressing down carefully to remove any air pockets, then prick the base all over with a fork. Line the pastry case with a piece of baking parchment and cover with baking beans.
Bake for 8 minutes until just starting to turn golden. Remove from the oven and remove the parchment and beans.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Put the pears on a chopping board and, using a sharp knife, make 5 slices down each half, starting about 1cm/½in from the top. Leave to one side.
Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and rest it over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted. Add the sugar and stir in thoroughly, then add the margarine and stir until melted. Add the eggs, a little at a time, and stir in thoroughly.
When the pastry is out of the oven, put the pears onto the base, fanning them out slightly if there's room (it will depend on the size of the pears.) Pour the chocolate mixture over, taking care to cover all the pears.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until just darkening on the top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then carefully put a plate on the top, turn it over, remove the tin and put a serving plate on the top. Turn the tart back over onto the serving plate. Serve hot or cold.
Recipe by Grace Cheetham at https://www.gracecheetham.com/gluten-free-dairy-free-chocolate-pear-tart