In preparation for my visit to Paris next month (!) I have been reading "Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris", a delightful guide to where to eat in Paris written by Clotilde Dusoulier of
Chocolate & Zucchini. I haven't organised a meal-by-meal itinerary, (and don't think my travelling companion will appreciated it if I do) but have noted a few places that would be nice to visit.
Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris has a few recipes sprinkled throughout so as a "warm-up" to prepare ourselves for what awaits us in the patisseries of Paris I made a "Tarte-Gateau Poire Chocolat" (pear and chocolate cake-tart ), a recreation of a similar sweet treat from La Boulangerie par Veronique Mauclerc.
This recipe has great potential and I look forward to making it again with a few adaptations: I found the pastry too buttery and flaky, so next time will make a biscuit-y sweet short crust; I will use vanilla instead of rum in the poaching syrup as I couldn't taste the rum (which is good as I don't like rum anyway); and I will make sure my pears are properly ripe.
I served the cake-tart with a spoonful of sour cream (the delicious Cyclops sour cream) and whipped cream mixed with a little brown sugar. Of course, it did nothing to cut through the richness of the tart and my travelling companion could barely cope with it all, struggling his way to the last mouthful! I don't know how he will fare in Paris!
Here's the recipe as I made it:
Pastry:
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon ice-cold water
25g sugar
2 cups flour
125g butter
Poached pears:
25g sugar
45ml dark rum (I will use a teaspoon of vanilla paste next time)
2 ripe but firm pears (I used beurre bosc)
Chocolate filling:
25g flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
125g bittersweet dark
75g butter
100g sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk (saved from pastry)
Beat egg yolk, water and sugar and set aside. Combine flour and butter in a food processor until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk mixture and process until the dough just comes together. Add a little more water if you need to. Turn out onto a floured surface and bring together into a ball, flatten and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Now poach the pears: Combine water, sugar and rum and bring to a simmer. Peel, halve & core pears. Cut each half into 3 pieces. Ad pears to the saucepan and similar until tender (recipe says 4 minutes, mine were in for 10 and were still rock-hard). Remove from syrup and drain until needed.
Remove dough from fridge and roll to fit your tin (I used a long rectangular tin). Chill for 30 minutes before baking blind for 10 minutes (I should have left it in for longer).
Prepare chocolate filling: Combine flour & baking powder and set aside. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler, add the sugar and mix well. Mix in the egg and egg white, stirring between each addition. Add the flour mixture and stir again.
Pour the chocolate filling into the prepared tart shell and press the pears into the filling. Return to oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until the filling is just set.
Leave to cool before serving.
Libby: I bought this wedge of Evansdale Farmhouse Brie at Christchurch Farmers Market on Saturday. It's one of my favourite cheeses - always beautifully ripe and unlike many soft cheeses it's incredibly full-flavoured. Best enjoyed with little more than some plain crackers or oat cakes.
Miriam: I love the combination of caramelised onion, blue cheese & pear. Some friends and I enjoyed this pizza I made on Saturday night while sipping on mulled wine - another of my favourite things when the weather's cold and wet.
Becs: I have recently rediscovered these single serve packs of Philly cream cheese. I used to take them to work, for my back up lunch of toasted Vogel's fruit bread with cream cheese, sliced banana and honey. Perfect for when you want cream cheese to be available but without the obligation to eat your way through an entire pack. 
