Dark Chocolate Pear Tart
This decadent Dark Chocolate Pear Tart with walnut crust has Moscato vanilla poached Bosc pears and a silky dark chocolate ganache. This beautiful tart is as impressive looking as it is delicious.
Servings: 12 Servings
Calories: 415kcal
Equipment
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.
Notes
Tips for Storing
- Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- For clean slices, cut cold, then let slices sit at room temp 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
- Keep the tart away from strong fridge odors. Chocolate absorbs smells fast.
- Do not freeze the fully assembled tart. Pear texture turns watery after thawing.
- To prep ahead, freeze the baked crust, then thaw and fill the day you serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 546IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3mg
