Pear and chocolate tarts
3 sheets sweet shortcrust pastry
100g dark chocolate
125g butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
120g ground almonds
1 tbsp flour
1 firm but ripe pear
Icing sugar for dusting
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 5 individual tart pans (10cm diameter) with pastry, cover with baking paper and weights and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove weights and cook for a further 3-5 minutes until pastry base is just golden.
2. Gently melt chocolate and mix until smooth.
3. Place butter and sugar in a bowl and mix until pale and creamy, add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in ground almonds, flour and melted chocolate. Spoon chocolate filling into pastry shells.
4. Peel pear and cut into quarters – if the pear is large then you may need to cut into eighths. Place a wedge of pear in each tart and gently press into the chocolate.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until filling is set. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
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