Ginger-chocolate tart with roast pears #GourmetTraveller

This ginger-chocolate tart is perfect for when you don’t feel like making pastry – it’s a simple batter, baked until just set, but with a slightly molten centre…adulterated from Gourmet Traveller

40 gm Dutch-process cocoa, plus extra for dusting
400 gm dark chocolate (56%-60% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped
160 gm butter, coarsely chopped, plus extra for greasing
6 eggs
300 gm caster sugar
50 ml brandy
120 gm hazelnut meal or almond meal
50 gm plain flour
2 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp baking powder

Roast pears
300 gm caster sugar
8 small pears, peeled, halved and cores removed with a melon baller thinly peeled rind and juice of 1 orange and ½ lemon
20 gm ginger, cut into julienne
40 ml dessert wine
Method
Main

• Preheat oven to 180C.
• For roast pears, scatter sugar in a roasting pan large enough to hold pears snugly in a single layer.
• Press pears cut-side down into sugar, stand for 5 minutes, then turn cut-sides up and scatter with rinds and ginger.
• Combine juices and wine, drizzle over pears and roast until caramelised (15-20 minutes).
• Keep warm. That’s the pears not you.
• Meanwhile, butter a 26cm-diameter tart tin and dust with extra cocoa, shaking out excess.
• Stir chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until smooth.
• Whisk eggs, sugar and brandy in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until thick and pale, and mixture holds a thick ribbon (10-15 minutes).
• Remove from heat, fold in melted chocolate mixture, then sieve in flour and cocoa, and fold to combine.
• Spoon mixture into tart tin, smooth top and bake until set around the edges but still soft in the centre.
• Stand for 10 minutes, then serve topped with crème fraîche, roast pears and syrup.
• Yum Yum Yum