Ginger-chocolate tart with roast pears

INGREDIENTS ROAST PEARS

SERVES 8 400g dark chocolate (56%-60% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped

160g butter, coarsely chopped,

plus extra for greasing

6 eggs

300g caster sugar

50ml brandy

40g Dutch-process cocoa,

plus extra for dusting

120g hazelnut meal

50g plain flour

2 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp baking powder 300g caster sugar

8 small ripe pears, peeled, halved and

cored

Thinly peeled rind and juice of 1 orange

and ½ lemon

20g ginger, cut into julienne

40ml dessert wine

Creme fraiche, to serve

1 Preheat oven to 180°C. 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.

3 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 dry ingredients, mix gently to combine.

4 Spoon mixture into tart tin, smooth top and bake until set around the edges (10-15 minutes, but still soft in the centre. Stand for 10 minutes), then serve topped with creme fraiche, roast pears and syrup.