Plate Up. Pear & Chocolate Frangipane Tart

One good thing about going to stay in the country with friends over the holidays is having a quaint little break from the hustle and bustle of the city. The other good thing is being able to use their well-stocked country kitchen to do some cooking. Since living in London with very meagre kitchen appliances I have really missed baking on the weekend. So I took this as the perfect opportunity to whip up a tart - pear and chocolate frangipane for Christmas day. Yum.

What you'll need
300g shortcrust pastry
2 eggs
100g butter, melted
100g ground almonds
125g caster sugar
100g dark chocolate
2 tablespoons milk
300g pear slices in juice

What to do
Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celsius and grease your tart tin well with butter. Ensure your pastry is at room temperature and line the tin. Pierce the base with a fork and blind bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make your frangipane by combining the eggs, butter, sugar and ground almonds in a mixer until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the chocolate and milk and melt together either over the stove or in the microwave.

By now your pastry should be ready. Remove the tart tin from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Spread the melted chocolate over the base and then top with the frangipane. Then arrange the slices of pear on top.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden.

Photos by Krissie.