Ingredients
- 225 gflour (for the chocolate pastry)
- 95 gicing sugar
- 35 gground almonds
- 20 gStaffords Cocoa Powder
- 120 gbutter, cold and cubed
- 1XL free-range egg
- 85 gbutter, softened (for the frangipane)
- 85 gsugar
- 2XL free-range eggs
- 1 tspStaffords Vanilla Extract
- 100 galmond flour (ground almonds)
- 30 gflour
- 20 gStaffords Cocoa Powder (for the frangipane)
- Pinchsea salt
- 3ripe pears (for poaching)
- 1.5 litreswater
- 400 gsugar
- 2cinnamon sticks
- 2cardamom pods, crushed
- 1lemon, zest peeled in strips and juice
- 2 Tbspsmooth apricot jam (for the glaze)
- Splashwater
- To servetoasted flaked almonds, gold leaf and icing sugar
Made with Staffords
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Method
For the pastry, combine all the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse to mix well. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until the mixture has the texture of wet sand, then add the egg and pulse until it comes together into a dough.
Press the dough into a large disc, wrap well in cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Roll out thinly between two sheets of baking paper and chill in the fridge.
For the pears, combine the water and sugar in a medium pot. Add the cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods and lemon zest, bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Peel the pears, leaving the stem on, slice in half and gently rub each with cut lemon to prevent browning. Core them with a melon baller or small paring knife and rub again with lemon. Place in the poaching liquid and keep at a low simmer.
Cut a piece of baking paper just larger than the pot, scrunch it up and press it down to keep the pears submerged. Cook for about 12 to 15 minutes, until just knife tender. Switch off the heat and cool the pears to room temperature in the poaching liquid.
For the frangipane, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour, cocoa powder and ground almonds, mix to combine and season with a little salt.
Preheat the oven to 165°C. Roll the pastry up onto a rolling pin and transfer it to a 24 cm metal tart pan with a loose bottom. Push the dough into the corners with your fingertips, shape the tart base gently and trim off the excess.
Fill the tart with the frangipane and smooth. Slice the pears thinly, fan them out slightly and place them on the frangipane, pressing in gently. Bake in the bottom third of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until the pastry is cooked through and the frangipane has set. Allow to cool.
For the glaze, simmer the apricot jam with a splash of water in a small saucepan, then brush over the whole tart with a pastry brush. Scatter the edges with toasted almonds, dust with icing sugar and finish with touches of gold leaf before slicing and serving.
