Pear and Chocolate Tart

I'm currently trying to use up some foods that have been languishing in the cupboards for far too long. When I came across two large cans of Williams pears I knew immediately what to do with the first one.

I've had this recipe for more than 30 years and though I can't remember when I last baked this tarte I do remember that it's a cracker. I don't think we used chocolate with 70% cocoa solids then but that's what I'm using all the time now. The same goes for the sugar, I never use white sugar anymore.

150 g butter
150 g unrefined, soft brown sugar
3 eggs
300 g flour
1 1/2 packet/21 g baking powder
125 ml milk

100 g crumbled chocolate (70%)
1 tbsp cocoa
2 tbsp oat flakes
1 tbsp rum (single malt whisky works, too)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch of nutmeg

500 g pears (peeled, cored and halved) or 1 large tin of Williams pears (drained and if necessary patted dry)

Beat the butter and sugar until creamy, then add the eggs. Next, mix the flour and baking powder, add gradually before adding the milk. Lastly mix in the remaining ingredients.

Divide the mixture in two and spread one half into a greased spring tin or silicon mould (26 cm). Place the pear halves on top and spread the other half of the cake mix on top.

Bake for 60 minutes at 175° C - 200° C/gas mark 5.

If you don't have much time, use muffin casings and a muffin tin instead and bake for 20-30 minutes. Makes 12 muffin-shaped cakes.

Serving suggestion: Topped with cinnamon flavoured pear compote and whipped double cream

Variation:

Use 150 g fresh or frozen raspberries. Pour all the batter into a baking tin/silicon mould, scatter the raspberries evenly over the top and gently push them into the batter. Great in summer.

Variation 2: 1 jar of morello cherries, drained and patted dry/150g frozen morello cherries. Double the amount of cocoa.