Pies and Tarts Dessert Recipes - Chocolate and Pear Pie Recipe

Ingredients

• 450g/1 lb puff pastry, thawed if frozen

• 75g/1/4 cu unsalted (sweet) butter

• 75/1/3 cup caster sugar

• 1 egg, beaten

• 150ml/2/3 cup soured (dairy) cream

• 100g1 cu self raising flour

• 2.4ml/1/2 tsp ground ginger

• 15ml/1 tbsp cocoa powder

• 25g/1/4 cup ground almonds

• 410g/1 large can of pear halves, drained, reserving the juice

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Method:

1. Cut the pastry into two pieces, one slightly large than the other, roll out the smaller piece to a 20 cm/7 in round and the larger to a 23 cm/9 in round. Place the smaller round on a dampened baking sheet

2. Beat together the butter, sugar and all but 10ml/2 tsp f the egg. Stir in the cream, flour, ginger, cocoa and almonds.

3. Spread over the pastry on the baking sheet, leaving a small border all round. Top with the pear halves. Brush the border with a little of the reserved egg.

4. Place the larger pastry round over the top a and pres the edges together to seal. Knock up the edge with the back of a knife. Mark the top with a sharp knife in a criss-cross pattern to decorate, then glaze with the remaining beaten egg.

5. Sprinkle with sugar and bake in a preheated oven at 200C/400F/gar mark 6 for about 40 minutes until risen, crisp and golden. Serve warm with the reserved pear juice.