gluten-free_dairy-free_chocolate_pear_tart
gluten-free_dairy-free_chocolate_pear_tart_slice
I’m coming in late to the Pie Party (sorry!) but I wanted to share this because it truly is heavenly. A rich chocolate tart, with soft, sweet pears – and a very gooey middle. In theory, you should bake your tart until the filling is completely set but the rich, oozing middle in this one defies all rules. It tastes too good to cook it any longer!
The pastry can, of course, be made by hand – but I’ve shown how to make it in the food processor, in order to make this super-easy. And it’s still light-textured, holds together, and a little crumbly when you bite into it.
Shauna, I love your idea of the Pie Party. Can we make it an annual event?!
* gluten-free, dairy-free, yeast-free, seed-free, citrus-free
- 4 pears, peeled, halved and cored
- 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
- 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.
Oh wow, look at that chocolatey top! This looks sinfully good.
Yep it certainly is!
Hi I may be in the wrong spot on your site to ask this question but I wondered if you have tried quinoa flour and what other type of flour it has similar properties to. I have bought some (at great expense!) knowing it’s super healthy but don’t know what to try to use it for. Thanks Helen
Hi Helen, Lovely to hear from you. Yes, quinoa flour is good, not least because of it’s amazing nutritional profile (all 8 amino acids etc). But it does taste quite strong so I use it when I have other strong tastes that can mask it, such as the Fruit Cake in my new book. All best, Grace
Hi! I have just bought your book – and think it’s great – but hadn’t yet spotted the quinoa flour in the fruit cake. I will give it a try. Also, I was wondering when you say ‘dairy-free margarine’ in your recipes what you use? In the past I have found that Pure Soya is better for baking that the Sunflower version. Thanks. Helen
Delighted you like the book – and hope you enjoy the recipes! I like Pure, too, but tend to use the sunflower version just because I like to limit the amount of soya I eat. Hope you’re having a lovely day! All best, Grace