Chocolate Tart … with Saffron Pears

Mix the butter with the egg, salt and cinnamon. Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa over it and stir in. Add the hazelnuts. Sift the flour over it and knead everything into a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Grease a tart pan (approx. 28 cm in diameter). Roll out the dough, place it in the pan and pull up one edge. Prick the bottom several times with a fork. Cover the bottom with parchment paper. Spread the dried peas on top. Bake in the oven at 175 degrees for about 12 minutes. Take out of the oven, remove dry peas and parchment paper. Bake for another 5 minutes at the same temperature. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Squeeze the lemon. Quarter and peel the pears, remove the core and cut into wedges. Drizzle with the lemon juice.

Put wine, honey, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and saffron in a saucepan. Bring to the boil briefly, remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Pour in water. Place the pear wedges in the liquid. Bring to the boil briefly, simmer for 2 minutes on a low heat. Take it from the stove and let it cool off. Pour into a sieve and allow to drain, collecting the pear stock. Remove spices.

Mix the cornstarch with a little pear stock until smooth. Bring the rest of the pear stock with sugar to the boil. Add the mixed cornstarch and bring to the boil briefly while stirring. Take off the stove and let cool down a bit.

Spread the pudding on the cooled base. Spread the pear wedges on top.

Bring the cream with maple syrup and cinnamon stick to the boil. Take off the stove. Melt the chocolate in it. Allow to cool slightly. Remove the cinnamon stick. Spread the chocolate cream evenly on the cake with a spoon. Chill the cake for about 2 hours.

Note 8: Next time I would take double the amount of saffron and also not use lemon juice, but add the pear wedges to the brew immediately ... 😉