This Dark Chocolate Pear Tart hits the sweet spot between elegant and doable. You get a crisp, buttery walnut crust, tender Bosc pears poached in Moscato and vanilla bean, and a silky dark chocolate ganache that sets up like a truffle.
This tart looks like a bakery showpiece, yet each part is simple to make. Make the crust first, poach the pears while it chills, then pour the ganache and layer the pears on top. Chill, slice, and serve for brunch, Valentine’s Day, your next dinner party, or any day when you need a sweet treat.
In This Post
Why this Works
A walnut crust brings rich, toasty flavor and a slightly sandy crunch, so the tart never tastes flat. Bosc pears hold their shape after poaching, so you get clean slices and a neat finish.
Moscato adds gentle fruit sweetness, while vanilla bean gives the fresh pears depth. Dark chocolate ganache adds contrast and rich chocolate flavor, so each bite lands with crisp crust, soft pear, and firm, glossy chocolate.
Heather’s Recipe Notes
Drawing from 20 years of recipe development and my time co-founding a spice company, here’s what makes this recipe worth making exactly as written.
- The walnut crust tastes buttery and nutty, with a snap that balances the soft filling.
- Bosc pears stay intact, so the tart slices clean instead of collapsing.
- Poaching in Moscato perfumes the fruit without making it sugary.
- Dark chocolate ganache sets firm, so you get sharp, pretty wedges.
- This dessert holds well in the fridge, so it works for dinner parties.
The Science Behind Toasting Walnuts
This tart uses the Maillard reaction in one key place: the crust. When you bake the walnut crust, heat triggers browning reactions between amino acids and sugars in the nuts and flour. This creates deeper roasted notes and a darker, more complex aroma.
Step-by-Step Photos
The whole tart comes together easily and quickly. Make sure you use good quality ingredients such as Ghirardelli 72% Dark Chocolate for the best texture and rich flavor.
Slice the pear halves neatly and nestle into the chocolate ganache. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour before serving. Carefully slice and serve.
Recipe Variations & Add-Ins
Crust options
- Swap walnuts for almonds, pecans or hazelnuts. Hazelnuts pair especially well with dark chocolate.
- Use graham cracker crumbs plus ground nuts for a faster crust, press and bake as usual.
- Make it gluten-free by using a 1:1 gluten free flour blend in the crust.
Pear options
- Use Anjou pears if Bosc are not available. Keep them slightly underripe so they hold shape.
- Swap Moscato for Riesling, Prosecco, or a nonalcoholic white grape juice.
- Add warm spices to the poaching liquid: cinnamon stick, star anise, or a strip of orange peel.
Ganache options
- Use 60% to 72% dark chocolate bar for the best balance with sweet pears.
- Add 1 to 2 teaspoons espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor.
- Add a spoon of pear brandy after the ganache cools for a grown up finish.
Common Mistakes
Overpoaching the pears – if the pears turn soft and grainy, you cooked them too long. Pull them when a knife slides in with light resistance, not when they feel mushy.
Using overly ripe pears – ripe pears break down fast in poaching liquid. Start with pears that still feel firm at the neck.
Pouring ganache too hot – hot ganache steams the pears and loosens the set. Cool the ganache until it thickens slightly and pours in a slow ribbon.
Skipping a fully baked crust – if the crust stays pale, it tastes raw and turns soggy. Bake until it smells nutty and looks evenly golden.
Cutting before the ganache sets – warm ganache smears. Chill long enough to slice clean, then warm your knife under hot water and wipe dry between cuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bosc pears work best because they stay firm and hold shape after poaching. Choose pears that feel firm, not soft at the stem.
Yes, peel them for the cleanest texture and look. Pear skins wrinkle during poaching and look dull against glossy ganache.
Slide a paring knife into the thickest part. You want slight resistance, like a ripe avocado. If it slides in with no push, you went too far.
Pick a bar you like eating. Aim for 60% to 72%. Higher than that can taste sharp next to sweet pears.
Your cream got too hot, or you stirred too aggressively while the chocolate was still firm. Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate, wait 2 minutes, then stir from the center in small circles.
A chocolate tart is frequently referred to as Tarte au Chocolat, which is its classic French name. It is sometimes called a chocolate ganache tart, particularly when filled with a rich, smooth mixture of chocolate and cream.
More Dessert & Pie Recipes
- Dark Cherry & Orange Pie
- Cacao Cream Tart
- Triple Chocolate Truffles
- Donut Tiramisu
- Pecan Tart with Cookie Crust
Dark Chocolate Pear Tart Recipe
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Ingredients
For Crust:
- ⅔ cup walnut halves, toasted for 5 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- 1 cup all purpose flour, regular or gluten free
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold & cut into chunks
- 1 pinch kosher salt
For Pears:
- 2 Bosc pears, peeled, halved & cored
- 2 cups Moscato wine
- ½ whole vanilla bean, split
For Ganache:
- 10 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (or semi-sweet)
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Walnut Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Toast raw walnuts for 5 minutes.
- Add the toasted walnuts to a food processor and process just until fine. Do not over process. Add the all purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles coarse meal, about 5 times.
- Pour the walnut mixture into a springform pan and press lightly into the bottom and up the sides by 2 inches. The mixture will be crumbly at first but will press into a crust.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack. Remove outer ring and cool for 20 more minutes.
Poached Pears:
- Bring the Moscato and vanilla bean to a boil, slide in the pear halves and lower the temperature to medium low and cover. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the pears are fork tender. Remove to a bowl and allow to cool in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Chocolate Ganache:
- Add the chocolate and cream to a small saucepan and set over medium low heat. Don’t stir. Allow the chocolate to get soft and once it looks shiny and soft remove from the heat and stir briskly until smooth.
- Pour into the cooled walnut crust. Slice the pears width wise and place them into the ganache carefully so they don’t sink. Repeat with remaining pear halves. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Bring slightly to room temperature before serving.
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Nutrition
*Nutritional information is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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This dark chocolate pear tart recipe was originally published on February 12th, 2013. It has recently been updated with step-by-step collages, tips, and storing instructions.
Hi! I’m Heather
I’m Heather, a recipe developer and content creator based in Vancouver, Washington. I started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006 because I believed weeknight dinners shouldn’t be boring and gourmet shouldn’t mean complicated. I’m also the co-founder of Spiceology, so safe to say I think about food for a living. Stick around for recipes that actually make it into your regular rotation.
I really love this recipe and hope you will too!
what a gorgeous dessert. . I love pears! Pinned!
does this freeze well?
Hi Anna – I have no idea, as I’ve never frozen it before. Let me know if you try it.
Simply lovely. I love desserts like this.
What a beautiful dessert. Those pears are gorgeous with the chocolate.
Thank you Erika. It was fun to make. Happy Valentine’s Day!!
What a gorgeous dessert! I love the dark chocolate and pear combination!
Thank you Jessica!! pears and chocolate just seem to work great together.
That is gorgeous! Happy Valentine’s Day Heather!
thanks sweet Jenny!! 🙂 Happy V Day to you too. Any fun plans?
So gorgeous! Happy Valentine’s Day!
thank you Miss. happy Valentine’s Day to you too sweets. I hope it’s a fabulous day!! XO friend.
This is seriously gorgeous!
thanks darlin. it was seriously deadly to my waistline too. I somehow baked it with a voice. It kept calling my name. 🙂
This is absolute genius! My two favorites whether separate or together, but this “togetherness” is pure perfection! And the special crust is a genuine complement. Plus, the finished product looks divine! You have a permanent fan!
Thank you Mary!! 🙂 I love chocolate and pears together too! I have a gluten free brownie recipe with caramelized pears that’s so good. I need to make them again to photograph – we ate them too fast to get a pic. 🙂 Glad you are here!! Thanks for commenting. xo Heather