Poached Pear and Chocolate Custard Tart

Preheat oven to 160ºC (320ºF).

Grease tart tin and sift 1 tablespoon cocoa powder atop the butter, spread evenly so the entire surface is coated and tap out any excess. Set aside.

Peel pears and place into a medium saucepan with water, caster sugar and cinnamon stick. Place saucepan over medium heat and allow to simmer until liquid has roughly halved. Take off heat and allow pears to cool in the liquid.

Into a food processor, place plain flour, remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, nsalted butter (cut into small cubes) and white granulated sugar. Blitz briefly to combine.

Add egg and 2 tablespoons of poaching liquid to the food processor. Blitz until dough clumps together in one large section.

Sprinkle your bench with a small amount of cocoa powder, tip your dough out onto your bench, knead it a couple of times to bring the dough together, and then roll it out to roughly 2mm – 3mm thick.

Carefully place dough into prepared tart tin and press firmly into the corners. Using a sharp knife, cut any excess hanging over the edge of the tart tin and place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes.

Retrieve tart from the oven and set aside.

For the filling, place cocoa powder, egg yolks, caster sugar, thickened cream and 1 tablespoon poaching liquid into a large saucepan. Whisk gently over a low heat until sugar has melted into the custard but do not allow the mixture to boil. Set aside to cool.

Remove pears from poaching liquid, and cut them down the centre. Gently remove the core with a spoon and place cut side down onto tart base. Repeat until all pears have been halved.

Once happy with the pear arrangement, pour custard through a sieve and into a pouring jug, then gently pour custard around pears. Place back in the oven for 25 minutes.

To prevent the custard from cracking as it cools, open the oven door slightly and allow tart to cool inside for roughly 30 minutes before removing it and bringing it to room temperature.