Chocolate Velvet pear and Almond tartlets

A Velvet delicacy for the true foodie.

Yields1 Serving
Pears
 250 ml water
 250 ml sugar
 1 vanilla pod seeds
 4 small pears, peeled and halved
Pastry
 100 g First Choice Butter
 400 ml cake flour
 10 ml cacao
 15 ml icing sugar
 60 ml First Choice Velvet, ice cold
Filling
 180 g First Choice Butter
 150 g castor sugar
 2 eggs
 180 g ground almonds
 45 ml cake flour
 30 ml cacao, sifted
 50 ml First Choice Velvet
Pears:
1

Place the water, sugar and vanilla seeds in a saucepan on medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved

2

Add the pear halves and poach the pear halves – until just soft

3

Drain and cool completely

Pastry:
4

Sieve together the flour, icing sugar and cacao. Rub the butter into the flour mixture

5

Add the First Choice Velvet and cut it into the flour with a knife to make a soft dough (OR use your food processor to make the dough)

6

Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes

7

Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 3 mm thick

8

Line 8 small, loose-bottomed greased pie dishes with the pastry OR one medium-sized pie dish

9

Preheat the oven to 180 °C

Filling:
10

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition

11

Add the almonds, flour, cacao and FIRST CHOICE CHOCOLATE VELVET and mix in gently to make the filling. Divide the filling evenly between the pastry-lined pie dishes and spread it lightly

12

Arrange the poached pear halves on the filling. (Pears halves can be cored and cut into fan shape)

13

Bake for 10 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 170 °C and bake for another 5 minutes until cooked

14

Cool completely and dust with cacao or chocolate shaving. Serve with First Choice Chocolate Velvet for a delicious dessert or treat

CategoryCuisine

Shop Velvet

Ingredients

Pears
 250 ml water
 250 ml sugar
 1 vanilla pod seeds
 4 small pears, peeled and halved
Pastry
 100 g First Choice Butter
 400 ml cake flour
 10 ml cacao
 15 ml icing sugar
 60 ml First Choice Velvet, ice cold
Filling
 180 g First Choice Butter
 150 g castor sugar
 2 eggs
 180 g ground almonds
 45 ml cake flour
 30 ml cacao, sifted
 50 ml First Choice Velvet

Directions

Pears:
1

Place the water, sugar and vanilla seeds in a saucepan on medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved

2

Add the pear halves and poach the pear halves – until just soft

3

Drain and cool completely

Pastry:
4

Sieve together the flour, icing sugar and cacao. Rub the butter into the flour mixture

5

Add the First Choice Velvet and cut it into the flour with a knife to make a soft dough (OR use your food processor to make the dough)

6

Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes

7

Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 3 mm thick

8

Line 8 small, loose-bottomed greased pie dishes with the pastry OR one medium-sized pie dish

9

Preheat the oven to 180 °C

Filling:
10

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition

11

Add the almonds, flour, cacao and FIRST CHOICE CHOCOLATE VELVET and mix in gently to make the filling. Divide the filling evenly between the pastry-lined pie dishes and spread it lightly

12

Arrange the poached pear halves on the filling. (Pears halves can be cored and cut into fan shape)

13

Bake for 10 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 170 °C and bake for another 5 minutes until cooked

14

Cool completely and dust with cacao or chocolate shaving. Serve with First Choice Chocolate Velvet for a delicious dessert or treat

Chocolate Velvet pear and Almond tartlets
IngredientsDirections