Chocolate Glazed Chocolate Pear Torte Recipes

PEAR AND CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Roll pastry out to 1/4 inch thickness and use it to line a 9-inch tart dish. Prick the pastry with a fork and then place into the freezer for 20 minutes to prevent pastry from rising during baking.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Set crust aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Heat a saucepan about 1/3-full of water to a low simmer, about 5 minutes, then reduce heat to lowest setting. Place a heat-proof bowl over the pan in such a way that it does not touch the water. Add chocolate to the bowl and allow to melt. Limit stirring to an absolute minimum to prevent chocolate from separating.
• Mix ground almonds, eggs, sugar, and butter together in a bowl. Add warm melted chocolate and stir to combine. Pour chocolate mixture into the baked pastry crust.
• Arrange pears on top of the tart by pressing them into the chocolate mixture.
• Bake in the hot oven until pastry is golden and mixture is firm, 35 to 45 minutes.

CHOCOLATE PEAR TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan with butter; set aside.
• In a food processor, combine almonds and sugar; process until very finely ground. Add butter, eggs, cocoa, vanilla, salt, and almond extract, if using; process until combined. Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan.
• Peel, halve, and core pears; cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, rubbing them with lemon as you work (to prevent discoloration). Arrange slices on chocolate mixture, slightly overlapping, without pressing in.
• Place pan on a baking sheet; bake until top is puffed and a toothpick inserted in center of chocolate mixture comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
• Briefly heat jelly in the microwave or on the stove until liquefied. Gently brush pears with jelly; let set, at least 20 minutes. Remove tart from pan, and serve.

CHOCOLATE-GLAZED CHOCOLATE PEAR TORTE

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 10-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick vegetable spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; spray paper. Combine dried pears, 3/4 cup water and 1/3 cup sugar in heavy small saucepan. Simmer mixture over medium-low heat until pears are tender and liquid is syrupy, about 18 minutes. Transfer mixture to processor. Add pear brandy and purée until mixture forms thick paste. Set pear purée aside.
• Stir chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Add pear purée, almonds and flour. Stir to blend well. Transfer mixture to large bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks in medium bowl until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until mixture is very pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar to egg whites and beat until medium-stiff peaks form. Fold egg yolk mixture into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Stir 1/4 of egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whites in 3 additions.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Cover with foil, sealing foil around pan edges and tenting center to allow torte to rise while baking. Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake torte until top and sides are set and firm to touch and tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Transfer pan to rack. Cool 20 minutes. Run knife around pan sides to loosen torte. Invert torte onto 10-inch-diameter tart pan bottom. Peel off parchment. Cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely; chill.)
• Stir first 4 ingredients in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth.
• Line baking sheet with foil. Place rack on baking sheet. Transfer torte atop tart pan bottom to rack. Pour 1/2 cup glaze over torte. Using icing spatula and working quickly, smooth glaze over top and sides, covering evenly. Freeze torte until glaze is set, about 10 minutes. Pour remaining glaze over torte and spread over top and sides until smooth. Freeze torte just until glaze is firm, about 15 minutes. (Torte can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let torte stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)
• Using spatula, transfer torte to platter. If desired, press tip of small sharp knife into 1 gold leaf sheet; gently peel off 1-inch free-form piece. Using knife as aid, carefully press gold leaf onto torte. Repeat with remaining gold leaf, spacing pieces decoratively.