Name: Chocolate, Orange and Spiced Red Wine Pear Tart
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 pear cored cored halved peeled; 2 cup red wine; 1 cinnamon stick; 6 whole cloves; 2 star anise; 1 bay leaf; 2 slices orange *optional; 1/4 cup sugar; 100 g dark chocolate; 100 g butter; 1 cup sugar; 2 egg; 1/4 cup thick vanilla custard; 1 tsp vanilla paste; 2 tsp orange rind, finely grated; 1/2 cup plain flour; 1 pinch salt

by cheza68 Last updated on 07/10/2019

This Chocolate, Orange and Spiced Wine Pear Tart combines all of the best Winter flavours! A fabulous dessert to impress your dinner guests and the ultimate ending to any Winter meal! - cheza68

Ingredients

3 pear cored cored halved peeled
2 cup red wine
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
2 star anise
1 bay leaf
2 slices orange *optional
1/4 cup sugar

Chocolate Orange Tart

100 g dark chocolate
100 g butter
1 cup sugar
2 egg
1/4 cup thick vanilla custard
1 tsp vanilla paste
2 tsp orange rind, finely grated
1/2 cup plain flour
1 pinch salt

Method

Step 1

In saucepan, combine the pears with the red wine, cinnamon, cloves, start anise and bay leaf (these are "mulling" spices). Add sugar and orange slices and let simmer slowly for approximately 20 minutes until pears soften.
Step 2

Remove from heat and let pears cool in the spiced red wine mixture.
Step 3

Preheat oven to 180C.
Step 4

To make Chocolate-Orange Tart batter: Melt the chocolate and butter, then let cool.
Step 5

Mix the eggs, sugar, custard, vanilla and orange rind. Add the melted chocolate mixture and eggs. Stir in the flour and salt.
Step 6

Pour the mixture into 6 small tart pans (or one large tart pan). Slice the red wine poached pear halves and arrange on top of the chocolate batter. Bake for 30 minutes.
Step 7

To make Spiced Red Wine Glaze: Reduce the spiced red wine cooking liquid (from poaching the pears in step 1) until a syrupy glaze is achieved (it will reduce to approximately ¼). Set aside until ready to plate up

Equipment

6 small tart pan
1 saucepan

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

Serve the tart warm or cold. I have made some candied Orange slices for garnish (optional). Serve with a dollop of Extra thick Vanilla Custard and a drizzle of the Spiced Red Wine Glaze. These tarts can be made in small individual tart pans or 1 large tart pan. Shiraz or Merlot is best to use as the red wine. It's best to do steps 1 and 2 the day before as the pears will turn a deep red on the outside and absorb the spiced red wine flavours. I used Pauls Double Thick Vanilla Custard.