Do any of you like chocolate? How about pears? If the answer to those two questions is yes then this is the perfect recipe for you.

Preamble …

Over the Christmas holidays we were inundated with chocolate: boxes and boxes of assorted pralines, and massive bars of the stuff, some of them weighing 500 grams each. So, apart from eating a lot of chocolate (they say it’s good for improving your mood, especially in these dark winter days), I managed to far fuori (polish off) a few bars by making some delicious chocolate cookies, but despite our best efforts the cupboard was still overflowing with chocolate. Then a few days ago I went to Renzo’s, il mio fruttivendolo preferito (my favourite greengrocer), and while la commessa (the shop assistant) was serving me, Giovanna (Renzo’s wife) was tidying up some boxes of fruit and vegetables. Suddenly, she turned to me and said: “Ti va di compostare un po’ di pere?” (Do you feel like making a pear compote?), e detto fatto (and without another word) she filled up a carrier bag with bruised and overripe pears. When I got home Geoff took a look at the pears, then at the cupboard full of chocolate and said: “Perché non fai la crostata di pere e cioccolato?” (Why  don’t you make a chocolate and pear tart?), one of Geoff’s favourite desserts when we go out to the restaurant. So, for all you chocolate and pear fans, here’s the recipe for this delicious crostata (tart/pie), go on, indulge yourselves:

* If you want to make your own short crust pastry, you can find the recipe in this post: Crostata di Mele

Preparation:

Peel, core and slice the pears, then put them in a large frying pan with the grappa and a tablespoon of sugar, and cook them gently for 5 minutes.

In a mixing bowl mix the butter and the remaining sugar together until white and fluffy. Add one egg at a time until they are well mixed in, then gently fold in the corn starch.

Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie and then incorporate it into the egg custard.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 24 cm loose-base flan tin. Arrange the pear slices on top of the pastry in concentric circles, and then cover them with the chocolate cream. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes. Let it cool down before serving.

Do you have a favourite Italian dolce recipe? Please share.