This is how you make the tasty tuscan tart:
Ingredients
375 g sweet pastry
2-3 Williams pears, peeled and quartered
4 tablespoons caster sugar
300 ml single cream
200 g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
30 g unsalted butter
Method
Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Roll out the shortcrust pastry to form a rectangular shape just under 1cm thick, using flour to dust. Place on a clean, flat baking tray and pinch the pastry around the edge with your thumb and forefinger to create a sort of lip.
Remove the core, and slice each pear quarter into 3. Sprinkle with half the caster sugar and rest for 1 minute before scattering the pears on top of the pastry. Bake for around 18 minutes, or until golden. Meanwhile, in a small pan, heat the cream until nearly boiling, remove from the heat and rest for a minute before snapping in your chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth, then add the remaining sugar and the butter. Pour carefully from the middle, covering the pears, and try not to let the chocolate go over the edge. Allow to cool briefly before popping into the fridge for 20 minutes.
Cut into squares or fingers... and get stuck in!This is how to make baked chocolate pudding:
Ingredients
455 g good-quality cooking chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
50 ml hot espresso or good strong instant coffee
125 g butter, plus extra for greasing
6 free-range eggs, separated
200 g caster sugar
100 g ground almonds
100 g rice flour
1 small handful chopped hazelnuts, toasted
Method
Melt 125g chocolate with the coffee, then pour into small ice-cube moulds and freeze until hard. Take 6 small 3-inch pastry rings, dariole moulds or cappuccino cups and grease well with some butter. Place in the fridge while you make your sponge mixture.
Melt the remaining chocolate with the butter in a bowl over a pan of boiling water, then in a separate bowl whisk the egg whites with the sugar until firm. Fold the yolks into the cooled chocolate and butter mixture, then add the almonds and flour. Finish by carefully folding in the egg white mixture. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5.
Take your moulds out of the fridge and spoon a little mixture into each one, then push in a cube of the frozen coffee and chocolate mixture. Cover with the rest of the sponge mixture so each ice cube is completely enveloped. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18 to 20 minutes, then remove carefully from the moulds while hot. Serve immediately sprinkled with hazelnuts.For more Jamie Oliver recipes go to http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/search/?q=DESSERTS&page=2