Marisa's Italian Kitchen

The Secret Ingredient Is Always Love

pear

Chocolate and Pear Crostata

by 61 Comments

An elegant and impressive Chocolate and Pear Crostata with a silky smooth filling of finely ground walnuts and dark chocolate. As a bonus its remarkably easy to put together.

Chocolate and Pear Crostata

This recipe was originally published October 1, 2015 and republished August 29, 2018 with updated content and photos.

Although its been a couple of years since my dad passed away, his pear tree continues to flourish. A constant and wonderful reminder of how he passionately tended and nurtured his garden.

It lays mostly dormant right now except for this one majestic pear tree. This lone pear tree bears more fruit then we can possibly consume. Although, I must say the squirrels are certainly giving us a run for our money!

Its branches are now weighed down heavily and bursting with delectable fruits while some are strewn all over the ground, blanketing it in green and gold.

These ripened sweet fruits are just about ready to be plucked off and sink ones teeth into. But since I have so many…well why not bake with them! Right?

Chocolate and Pear Crostata

About Crostata

A crostata is essentially a rustic baked tart with a short crust pastry base. Its basically free-form and in my opinion far easier to make then a 2 crust pie.

This crostata is so outrageously good, it will take a lot of restraint not to devour the whole tart. It is made with a pastry crust much like shortbread and with a silky rich chocolate filling.

Part of the appeal of this crostata are the juicy pear halves which are sliced and nestled over the chocolate filling. They provide such an elegant appearance and are sure to garner many compliments.

But really, feel free here to add your own artistic flare and fan out the slices which ever way you wish!

Chocolate and Pear Crostata

Although you may use a mixer to make the pastry dough, I much prefer using my food processor. The dough comes together with such ease rendering it soft and pliable and making it very easy to pat down both over and around the tart tin.

Chocolate and Pear Crostata

I tried this crostata once using almonds and another time using walnuts. I must say, my husband and I both prefer the walnuts, but they are easily interchangeable. Whichever nuts you choose, this recipe is a real keeper!

Chocolate and Pear Crostata

As with all fabulous desserts, do savour every single bite accompanied by a very good espresso of course!

 

Chocolate and Pear Crostata
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Chocolate and Pear Crostata

Chocolate and Pear Crostata with a silky smooth filling of finely ground walnuts and dark chocolate makes a rustic, elegant dessert.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Chocolate Pear Crostata Recipe
Servings 8
Author Marisa

Ingredients

For the Pastry

  • 3/4 cup or 12 tablespoons butter cubed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 cups all purpose flour

For the Chocolate Filling

  • 14 tablespoons butter cubed
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs beaten
  • 1 1/3 cups walnuts, lightly toasted finely ground
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate, melted I used 70% dark chocolate
  • 4 ripe firm pears
  • powdered sugar for dusting
  • 9 inch round tart tin with removable base

Instructions

Making the Pastry

  1. Place the butter and sugar together in a food processor and blend until smooth.

  2. Add in the egg yolk and blend again until it is thoroughly mixed.

  3. Next, add in the flour and pulse intermittently until the dough is smooth and not sticky.

  4. Divide the dough in half and freeze one half for later use. A half portion of this dough is enough to line a 9 inch baking tin. 

  5. Line the greased tart tin with the dough by patting it down in the tart tin while spreading it out with your fingers.

  6. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

For the Filling

  1. Beat together the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.

  2. Add in the eggs, ground walnuts, flour and beat until smooth.

  3. Stir in the melted chocolate.

  4. Spoon the mixture over the pastry and smooth it gently with a pastry knife.

  5. Peel the pears and cut them in half length-wise.

  6. Remove the cores and slice each half length-wise into thin slices.

  7. While keeping each of the sliced halves together, place them over the chocolate filling. (As seen in the photo)

    Chocolate and Pear Crostata

  8. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F, for about 45 minutes or until the walnut mixture is firm and the pastry is golden brown.

  9. Transfer to a wire rack to cool then dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Recipe Notes

You will only need half of the pastry dough to make a 9 inch crostata. The remaining half can be frozen for later use. However, if your tart tin is 10 inches round do use the whole amount of pastry dough. I've done so successfully without changing the amount of filling.

Recipe is adapted from a favourite cookbook, Cafe Italia Cookbook and only switching almonds for the walnuts as a personal preference. 

 

Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake

by 32 Comments

This simple and deliciously moist Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake is a fall inspired dessert that is just perfect for any day of the week.

The earthy flavor of rosemary lends itself well in combination with the sweet pears and honey. There is just a small amount of this woodsy herb…enough to awaken your taste buds to its’ subtle fragrance.

pear honey rosemary bundt cake

Papa’s pear tree stands proudly in his garden and continues to thrive. It has been 7 months now since his passing and one of the things I miss the most besides his absence…is his garden.

The rows upon rows of plump red juicy tomatoes, sweet bell peppers and glossy purple eggplants…

There were also fig trees with their luscious sweet fruits…

A variety of lettuces and fine herbs…

pear honey rosemary bundt cake

When my sister gave me bag fulls of these ripe pears from papa’s tree, I immediately realized that I had more then we could possible consume in a week. I then came across this Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake from the Bake from scratch magazine and was immediately intrigued as I had never baked with rosemary before.

We start with a buttery pear compote infused with the chopped rosemary which is then cooled and stirred into the cake batter and baked to a golden brown perfection.

pear honey rosemary bundt cake

This Pear Rosemary Honey Bundt Cake is slightly dense in texture and oh so moist! You will find that it actually tastes better the next day, making it a perfect make ahead dessert, something to consider when planning a large family gathering and freeing up some much needed oven space.

pear honey rosemary bundt cake

All that is needed before serving is a dusting of icing sugar for a little extra love!

pear honey rosemary bundt cake

If you love herbs in sweet baked goods then this Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake is definitely for you!

pear honey rosemary bundt cake

Not a fan of herbs, then you may like this heavenly Chocolate and Pear Crostata.

Happy Fall everyone!

 

pear honey rosemary bundt cake
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Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake

A deliciously moist pear Bundt cake, scented with honey and rosemary.
Course Bundt Cake
Servings 12
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened and divided
  • 2 cups peeled and chopped pear
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt I used fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • Icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Grease and flour a 10 cup Bundt pan and set aside.
  3. In a medium sized sauce pot, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
  4. Add in the chopped pear, rosemary and cook for a few minutes till the pears are soft, stirring occasionally.
  5. Remove the pear and rosemary mixture from the heat and let it cool completely.
  6. In a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, beat the remaining 1 cup of butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla at medium speed till fluffy. About 4 minutes.
  7. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  8. In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and the salt.
  9. In another smaller bowl combine the milk and honey together and whisk well.
  10. Slowly add in the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk mixture. Start and end with flour mixture, beating just until combined.
  11. Stir in the pear and rosemary mixture.
  12. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
  13. Bake for about 1 hour or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  14. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
  15. Slightly loosen the cake around the edges with a knife or offset spatula and invert onto a wire rack.
  16. Let the cake cool completely and dust with icing sugar just before serving.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from Bake from scratch Magazine

 

 

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