I've just finished shooting an autumn feature for a client all about pears and we had so many left over, I got to take a whole box of these gorgeous Red Anjous home with me. I'd recently made Popina's chocolate, pear and hazelnut tart, and knew these pears would be perfect for that recipe. I adapted the recipe slightly, substituting the hazelnuts for macadamias, and leaving the ground hazelnuts out of the chocolate cream, resulting in a more gooey consistency. The recipe is slightly long-winded, but it's definitely worth it if you're in one of those baking moods where you just want to get your hands dirty and try making something very satisfying!
And from autumn in the studio... to spring outside! After what seems like the longest winter, the cherry blossoms are finally in full bloom again, and we're having the loveliest weather. I recently (finally!) got a new Canon {5d mark II} and this was the perfect opportunity to take it outside for a test drive.
I also recently updated my online portfolio. With all the dessert images I take for this blog, I constantly have to balance the portfolio out with some more savoury images that I tend to shoot for clients that don't necessarily make it onto this blog. I've also added a fullscreen option so you can see the images the way they were meant to be seen. Take a look, although, it's a constant work in progress... so keep checking back!
Recipe after the jump:
Chocolate, pear and macadamia tart
(adapted from the Popina Book of Baking by Isidora Popovic)
makes 8-12 slices
1. Chocolate shortcrust:
225g plain flour
25g cocoa powder
125g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
85g golden caster sugar
1 egg
Place the flour, cocoa powder, butter and sugar in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add the egg and whisk again. Bring together in a ball then roll out on a slightly floured surface until about 3-4mm thick. Roll onto a rolling pin and unroll onto a 23cm tart tin, squeeze the edges in and trim any excess dough neatly around the edges. Place in the fridge.
2. Sponge dough:
45g unsalted butter, softened
90g golden caster sugar
1 egg
1½ tsp baking powder
90g plain flour
In a separate bowl, whisk the butter and sugar until combined. Add the egg and baking powder. Mix until combined, then add the flour and gently fold under.
3. Chocolate Cream:
90g dark chocolate, chopped
90g milk chocolate, chopped
180ml single cream
1 sponge dough, from recipe above
Place the chocolate in a clean bowl. Place the cream in a non-stick saucepan and bring to a boil over a medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour the cream over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has melted. Gently fold in the sponge dough and mix well.
4. For the tart:
3 pears, peeled, halved, cored, and thinly sliced to make a fan shape
50g macadamia nuts
apricot jam, heated in a pan until runny, for brushing
Preheat the oven to 170˚C. Remove the chocolate shortcrust from the fridge and pour in the chocolate cream. Top with the pears and sprinkle with the macadamia nuts. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes for a gooey soft centre (bake for 5-10 minutes longer for a firm centre). Brush the pears with apricot jam.
Happy Baking!
