I came across this mini paradise pear at the local market and thought "How cute are they?!". So, needless to say, I bought them out of curiosity and also how adorable they look, tasted them and thought, maybe I could just poach them and serve as plated dessert and for a chocolate tart. As an individual fruit, they taste just like Packham pear with a really nice crunchy texture. I believe these pears only come in limited seasons but I am glad I put them to good use.
RECIPE
Yield : 2 x tart
Equipment: 200mm diameter x 30mm height round tart ring
Note: Divide the recipes into halves if you want to make only 1 tart
POACHED PEAR IN RED WINE
600ml Red Wine
40g juice of lemon
80 g juice of an orange
300g Caster sugar
2 Cinnamon stick
6 -8 Firm pears (Large) -Packham or beurre bosc
Note: You can substitute larger pears as specified since it is rare to find such small pears. *This recipe is enough for 2 x 200mm tart
Method
1. Place the red wine, lemon and orange juice, cinnamon stick and sugar into a pot and bring to a simmer.
2. Meanwhile core the pears from the base then peel the skins. Once the poaching syrup are simmering, add the pears in and place a cartouche on top to keep the pears submerged. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the ripeness and size of your pears until just tender but still hold its structure. Transfer the pear into a bowl, reserving the syrup for later.
POACHED PEAR SYRUP
Reduce the poached pear syrup by boiling it over medium heat until it reaches a thick consistency or when the thermometer reads 106 - 108°C. Reserve for serving.
HAZELNUT SABLE
110 g Unsalted Butter
85g Icing Sugar- sifted
40 g Hazelnut meal
180 g Plain Flour
40 g Bread Flour
1.5 g Salt
50 g Eggs
*This recipe is enough for 2 x 200mm tart
Method
Place the cold and pliable butter into a mixing bowl with the plain and bread flour. Pinch and rub the butter in with the flour until you get a nice even bread crumb texture.
Add in the salt and icing sugar, followed by the hazelnut meal and mix to combine. Add in the cold eggs then gently knead to bring the ingredients together to form into a rough dough. Transfer the mixture onto your work bench then gently knead until smooth.
Press the sable dough to a nice flat square then wrap and reserve in the fridge or for at least 4 hours to rest.
Once rested, remove the dough from the fridge to room temperature until just pliable enough to roll.
Dust the dough with some flour then roll to approximately 4mm thick. Cut a strip of 4mm width long enough to go around the border of the 200mm tart ring. You can cut several strips to join if necessary, just ensure that you press the seam nicely to seal. Line the strips of pastry around the border of the tart rings. Place the rest of the rolled pastry onto a parchment paper then place the tart ring over and press it down on to the pastry to create a base.
If necessary, reroll the pastry to make two tart cases.
CHOCOLATE SPONGE
10 g Cocoa Powder
60 Egg whites
35 g Caster sugar
55 g 70% chocolate (64% for me)
40 g Egg Yolks
30 g Cream 35% Fat
*This recipe is enough for 2 x 200mm tart
Method
1. Heat the cream and chocolate over a bain marie until fully melted to create a ganache. Leave to cool to below 50°C then whisk in the eggs. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Whip the egg whites to 2/3, add the sugar and squeeze as much as possible (continue beating for a long time to obtain a very firm texture).
3. Incorporate in several times and delicately (with a rubber spatula) the beaten egg whites in the chocolate mixture.
4. Add the cocoa powder then gently fold through the soufflé mixture.
5. Transfer the mixture into the tart case filling only half way then spread it evenly with the help of a spatula.
Bake in the pre heated oven for 12 - 15 minutes or when gently touched the soufflé feels bouncy.
6. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
100 g Chopped Good Quality Dark Coverture Chocolate
130 g Heavy Cream/ Thickened Cream 35% Fat
30 g Unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Method:
Boil the cream in a pot then pour over the coverture chocolate that was placed in a hug. Stick blend the ganache to emulsify until smooth then blend in the room temperature butter until well incorporated.
Note: Prepare the ganache then the baked tart with soufflé base is fully cooled.
COMPOSITION
1. Par baked the hazelnut sable tart shells. Leave to cool.
2. Prepare the soufflé mixture then spread into the base of the par baked tart shell only half way. Pipe the base of each poached pear with hazelnut praline paste then press the base all the way into the base of the tart shell through the soufflé mixture.
3. Bake in the pre heated oven at 180°C until the soufflé sponge is firm for touch (approximately 12-15 minutes).
4. Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool completely. Once cooled, brush each poach pear with clear glaze to make it look shiny.
5. Prepare the ganache then pour it over the tart shell to fill it up to the rim of the tart case.
6. Slice the remainder of the poach pears then place them in the empty space then glaze with clear glaze.
7. Decorate with gold leave (optional).
PLATED DESSERT
Components
Baked Chocolate Soufflé Sponge
Hazelnut Crumble
Vanilla Ice Cream
Reduced Red Wine Poached Pear Syrup
Poached Pear
