Each year I eagerly anticipate the arrival of Gourmet Traveller‘s annual French issue, and when my subscription arrived in the mail I couldn’t wait to devour it.  I’ve long dreamed of visiting France but haven’t had the opportunity of going there so far (perhaps we can go for our honeymoon), so flicking through the pages gives me my fix for all things French.
This years issue featured gorgeous Chocolate Tarts and Muscat poached pears on the cover. Â I was so inspired by the chocolate tart and pear combination I ran straight to the kitchen to begin cooking my own version.
Instead of poaching the pears I decided to try slow roasting the pears with a little butter, vanilla bean and sugar. Â The slow roasted pears were delicious and when paired with the chocolate tart it was a magical combination.
For the chocolate ganache I used Pedro Ximénez in place of the muscat in the original recipe.  Pedro Ximénez is a delicious sherry, and worked well with both the chocolate and pears.
The end result was a delicious pear and chocolate tart that looked and tasted truly decadent.
What country do you dream of visiting?
By the way, I’ve submitted a couple of my recipes for the Lurpak Challenge. To vote for my Chocolate Quinoa Pear & Plum Crumble click here and for my Cauliflower Sformato click here. Voting ends on the 10th of July 2011 at 11:59PM AEST and you can vote once per day until the deadline.
Vanilla Bean Slow Roasted Pears
Ingredients:
- 4 pears, peeled, cored and cut in half
- 10g (2 tbs) of butter, chopped into small pieces
- 50g of sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 120 degrees Celsius (250Â Fahrenheit) and line a roasting pan with baking paper.
- Add the pears, sugar and vanilla (seeds and pod) to a bowl and mix to combine. Â Place the pears (cut side up) into the roasting pan.
- Top the pears with the pieces of butter and roast in the oven for 2 hours or until the pears are tender, checking every half hour or so to turn the pears and baste in the juices.
Pedro Ximénez Chocolate Ganache Tart
Recipe adapted from July 2011 Gourmet Traveler
Pâte Sucrée
Ingredients:
- 200g of plain flour
- 60g of pure icing sugar
- 120g of cold butter, coarsely chopped
- a pinch of salt
- 1 tbs of iced water
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 beaten egg
Method:
- In a food processor combine the flour, icing sugar and salt and process to combine.
- Add the butter and iced water and process until the mixture resembles fine crumbs before adding the the yolk. Process to combine.
- Turn out the pastry onto a cling film and form into a disc using the back of your hand. Â Wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Prepare 1 large fluted tart tin or 2 medium or 8 mini fluted tart tins.
- Roll out the pastry between 2 sheets of lightly floured baking paper to a thickness of 2mm and line the tart tins with the pastry and trim the edges. Â Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (355 Fahrenheit).
- Line the tarts with baking paper and add pastry weights and blind bake the tarts until golden – about 15 minutes. Â Remove the baking paper and pastry weights and brush the inside of the tart with the beaten egg and bake again until crisp – about 5 minutes. Â Set aside to cool.
- Once cool, thinly slice 3 pear halves and line the tart bases.
Pedro Ximénez Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients:
- 330ml of pouring cream
- 30ml of Pedro Ximénez sherry
- 250g of 70% Lindt chocolate, finely chopped
Method:
- Place the cream and Pedro Ximénez in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.
- Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Â Let it stand for 10 minutes before pouring into the tart shells over the pear slices.
- Refrigerate until set.
- Serve with the remaining pears and whipped cream.
Joyti says
I wish Gourmet Traveller was available in the U.S…such gorgeous photgraphs. And lots from one of my favorite photographers, Con Poulos.
The tart looks delicious…and those roasted pears – yum!
delicieux says
Thanks Joyti. 🙂 If you have an iPad Gourmet Traveller have an app you might want to check out. You can also visit their website for recipes http://gourmettraveller.com.au/
[email protected] says
French desserts are always so elegant! Right? Like this tart! Perfect!
Kayla says
It seems like you love all things French? I don't know as much about French cuisine, but this looks fabulous! Cooked fruits are so so lovely aren't they? By coincidence, I made some poached pears over the weekend:)
My recent post Vanilla-Scented Poached Pears
delicieux says
Hi Kayla,
I do love all things French, and hope I get to go there one day. How funny we both made pears 😀
[email protected] Foodie says
I definitely want to visit France too, not least because my brother and my cousin live there! This tart looks so heavenly!!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Hehe we had the same question for our end of post question! 😛 I’d have to say I’d like to explore more of the US and I’d like to visit San Sebastian!
[email protected] says
As I've been to many countries I'm yet to get down to Sth America and do it properly. I'd love to get back to Chile and explore its rugged countyside. Also the Northwest of China is within my sights. I love the food from that region!
Your tarts look absolutely divine and the use of Pedro Ximénez would give it a gorgeous flavour. This beautiful sherry certainly is doing its rounds in Sydney restaurants at the moment!
My recent post Bécasse – CBD
Jess says
I think you've finally pushed me over the edge into investing in a bottle of Pedro Ximinez – this tart looks absolutely amazing. I'm looking for another dessert for a dinner party I'm having in a few weeks' time (I want to do a whole bunch of little dishes each course, hence the multiple desserts, kind of like tapas-style dining for every course), and this might be it! I've been wanting to make this recipe for a while – http://tinyurl.com/3r98yje – but I think I prefer this pear version you made.
I used to dream of going to the UK and Ireland but then I did in December/January, so now I just think about going back, haha.
delicieux says
Hi Jess! 😀
Thanks for your lovely comment. Pedro Ximinez is definitely worth investing in. I love it with chocolate desserts or even cheese platters. If you are really wanting to showcase it though I would actually poach the pears in Pedro Ximinez sherry instead of roasting them and serve them with the tart. You could try this recipe I've used before for poaching in Pedro Ximinez https://deliciouseveryday.com/2010/09/05/pedro-ximen… and adjust it to suit your tastes.
The UK and Ireland sound fantastic. My Grandparents come from both countries so I'd like to see their heritage, but I've got a lot of other countries ahead on my must visit list first.
Kulsum says
Gorgeous! Pears and chocolate – can never be wrong 🙂 I don't really have subscriptions to travel or food magazines, I guess I need to change that. But my dream visit has to be Italy!
My recent post Aloo Matar Paratha – A Guest Post by Prerna of Indian Simmer
delicieux says
I'd love to visit Italy too Kulsum! Italian food is just SO delicious and wonderful, and I love the Italian way of life too.
elle marie says
Gosh, I sure wish I could pick up that magazine, I wonder if they have it in a digital version?
delicieux says
Hi Elle Marie 😀
Gourmet Traveller do actually have a digital version available in the iTunes App store for iPad. Here's the link http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/gourmet-traveller/… Not sure if it's available internationally, but it's worth a try.
cc11 says
I used to dream of France but now that I have been there I dream of Spain! Your tarts looked gorgeous 🙂
delicieux says
Thanks 😀 I'd love to go to Spain too. My best friend has told me many tales of her time in Spain, including getting some beautiful custom made shoes for the price you would pay for a standard pair in Australia.