Name: Ricotta, almond and chocolate tarts with poached pears
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 18
Ingredients: 1.5 kg firm ricotta; 300 gm raw caster sugar; 2 eggs, beaten; 200 gm almond meal; Finely grated rind of 1 lemon; For dusting: pure icing sugar; Pastry; 555 gm plain flour; 170 gm caster sugar; 380 gm cold butter, diced; 3 egg yolks; White wine-poached pears; 8 honey or corella pears, peeled, halved; 750 ml pinot grigio, or other Italian white wine; 500 gm caster sugar; 2 cinnamon quills; 4 thyme sprigs; Juice and thinly peeled rind of 1 lemon; Bitter chocolate sauce; 200 gm bitter chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped; 200 ml pouring cream; 200 gm softened butter

Tarts equal stress-free entertaining, especially if you have a crowd; they can be made well in advance and are easy to serve. If berries are in season, you can use them as an alternative to the pears: simply toss them in a little lemon juice and icing sugar.

Ingredients

1.5 kg firm ricotta

300 gm raw caster sugar

2 eggs, beaten

200 gm almond meal

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

For dusting: pure icing sugar

Pastry

555 gm plain flour

170 gm caster sugar

380 gm cold butter, diced

3 egg yolks

White wine-poached pears

8 honey or corella pears, peeled, halved

750 ml pinot grigio, or other Italian white wine

500 gm caster sugar

2 cinnamon quills

4 thyme sprigs

Juice and thinly peeled rind of 1 lemon

Bitter chocolate sauce

200 gm bitter chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped

200 ml pouring cream

200 gm softened butter

Method

Main

1.For pastry, pulse flour, sugar and butter in a food processor until fine crumbs form, then add yolks, 1 tbsp chilled water and a pinch of salt and process until mixture just comes together. Turn onto a work surface and knead until smooth, then roll three-quarters of pastry between two sheets of baking paper into a 28cm x 30cm rectangle. Transfer to a 30cm x 32cm x 1cm baking tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate to rest for 1 hour. Meanwhile, roll remaining pastry between two sheets of baking paper into a 3mm-thick rectangle. Remove top layer of paper and refrigerate until pastry is firm (10-15 minutes).

2.Preheat oven to 190C. Whisk ricotta, sugar and eggs in a large bowl until smooth, then fold in almond meal and lemon rind. Spoon ricotta mixture into pastry base and smooth top. Cut chilled pastry into long 5mm-wide strips and arrange in a lattice pattern on top of ricotta mixture. Bake until base is cooked, tart is golden and filling is set (40-50 minutes). Cool to room temperature.

3.Meanwhile, for white wine-poached pears, combine ingredients in a wide shallow saucepan, bring to the simmer over medium heat, cover closely with a piece of baking paper and a lid, reduce heat to low and cook until pears are tender (10-20 minutes). Set aside to cool in poaching liquid.

4.For bitter chocolate sauce, combine chocolate, cream and butter in a heatproof bowl placed over simmering water and stir occasionally until melted and glossy (3-5 minutes), then gradually add 150ml boiling water, stirring until smooth and glossy.

5.Dust tart with icing sugar, cut into squares, drizzle with warm bitter chocolate sauce and serve with white wine-poached pears.