Ginger-chocolate tart with roast pears

This 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.

Prep time 25 mins, cook 25 mins

Serves 8 (pictured p93)

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

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

1 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.

2 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.

3 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.