Chocolate And Pear Pie Food

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE AND PEAR PIE

Steps:

• For filling: In a large bowl, toss pears and lemon juice together. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the tapioca flour, cinnamon and salt. Add sugar mixture to pears; toss with hands to coat evenly.
• Unwrap one disc of pastry and place it on a lightly floured surface. Bang the dough with your rolling pin about 4 times, from left to right. Flip and bang left to right again. Begin rolling the pastry from the center forward, using less pressure on the edge. Every few rolls, rotate the disc a quarter-turn. If pastry starts to stick, lift it gently and sprinkle more flour underneath. If the top gets sticky, flip the disc over. Continue rolling and rotating until the circle is 12 to 13 inches across. Loosely fold the circle in half and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Unfold dough and gently but snugly press it into the corners. If any dough hangs over by more than 2 inches, trim it with kitchen scissors. (Use those scraps to patch holes or bolster spots where you don't have much overhang.)
• Roll out the second disc of pastry into a 10-inch circle (or follow the directions for a lattice-top pie, below**). Slide the circle onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the pastry shell and pastry top for 30 minutes.
• To assemble: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon each turbinado and granulated sugar evenly all over the bottom of pie shell, followed by the chocolate and finally the pear filling. Dot pears with butter cubes. Top with the circle of pastry. Roll the bottom pastry up and inward, enclosing the edge of the top pastry circle, to form a thick rim and crimp to seal. Transfer assembled pie to the freezer for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°. Place a foil-lined baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven to catch drips. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and water. Brush pie all over with egg mixture. Use a paring knife to cut steam vents in the top crust. (We pricked the pie all over with dozens of tiny slits.) Bake pie on the middle oven rack until crust is evenly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325° and continue baking until pie juices are bubbling in the center, 60 to 70 minutes. Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool for 4 to 6 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE PEAR PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unfold one pastry round and line a 9 in pie pan.
• In a large bowl blend liqueur and cornstarch until smooth. Peel pears, cut in half lengthwise and slice into 1/2 in slices. Add them to bowl. Grate 2 tsp orange zest and add to bowl. Squeeze 2 tbs orange juice and add to bowl. Add chocolate chips and mix gently to combine. Pour mixture into pastry lined pan.
• On a lightly floured surface, unfold remaining pastry; roll out to make a 12 in round. Center pastry on top of pie filling. Pinch pastry to seal then fold edges under, flush with pan rim; pinch to flute the rim. Cut a few slits on top of pie decoratively. Sprinkle sugar evenly over pastry. Bake until crust is richly browned, 55-60 minutes.
• Let cool at least 1 1/2 hrs before serving. Pie can be refrigerated up to a day.

PEAR CHOCOLATE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F (205°C).
• Combine flour, 5 tbs sugar and salt in large bowl; cut in butter and work until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Stir in enough water with fork just until flour is moistened.
• Shape dough into ball; flatten slightly.
• Roll out ball of dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle.
• Fold into quarters.
• Place dough into 9-inch pie pan; unfold, pressing firmly against bottom and sides.
• Trim crust to 1/2 inch from edge of pan.
• Crimp or flute edge.
• Fill unbaked pie crust with dry beans and cook in preheated oven for 15-20 min or until done.
• Bring cream to a boil and mix in chopped chocolate.
• Stir until chocolate melted and the mixture smooth.
• Add vanilla extract.
• Bring water and 5 tbs sugar to a boil and add pears.
• Let simmer for 10 minutes.
• Slice pears.
• Line the bottom of pie with pears, cover with chocolate cream.
• Let cool completely before serving.
• Note: with the remaining pastry dough you could shape leavs or hearts to decorate the finished pie.

CHOCOLATE-AND-PEAR PIE

Steps:

• For the Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl (or in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), whisk together butter, egg yolk, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Stir in flour to combine, then knead mixture with your hands a few times to form a soft, pliable dough.
• Press dough evenly into bottom and up sides of a standard 9-inch pie dish. Refrigerate until firm, at least 20 minutes or, covered, up to 1 day.
• For the Filling: In a large bowl (or mixer fitted with paddle attachment), whisk together butter, 3/4 cup sugar, eggs and egg white, vanilla, salt, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and cocoa until thick and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in flour just to combine, then chocolate and ginger.
• Peel, halve, and core pears, then immediately toss in a bowl with lemon juice (to prevent browning). With flat sides facing down, slice pears lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices, and fan out slices slightly (like a hand of playing cards) but do not separate. Arrange slices from one half of the pear in a single layer on the bottom of the chilled crust.
• Pour brownie batter into crust, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Arrange remaining sliced-and-fanned pear halves on top of batter. Drizzle with remaining lemon juice from bowl (you should have about 2 teaspoons).
• Stir together remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over pears. Bake until pie is puffed and set along edges but still slightly wobbly in center, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack until no longer hot, about 30 minutes. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature, with ice cream.

CHOCOLATE & PECAN TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface and use to line a 20cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Fill the tart with baking paper and baking beans, bake for 25 mins, then remove the baking paper and beans. Continue to cook for 10 mins more until golden. Remove from the oven and cool.
• Melt the chocolate and butter together in a large bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk the eggs and maple syrup together, then stir into the chocolate with most of the nuts. Pour into the tart shell, top with the remaining nuts and bake for 30-40 mins until set. Cool and serve with vanilla ice cream or double cream.

APPLE AND CHOCOLATE PIE

Steps:

• Peel, core and quarter apples. Slice very thinly.
• Place 1 layer of apple slices on the bottom crust. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons (or to taste) of sugar. Repeat twice.
• Spread chocolate pellets over top.
• With remaining apples, make 3 more apple/sugar layers.
• Top with 2nd crust and seal edges. Make an incision on the top.
• Bake in preheated oven at 450F for 15 minutes, or until golden.
• Lower heat to 350F and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes, or until apples are tender.