Chocolate-Almond Pear Tart

Name: Chocolate-Almond Pear Tart
Yield: Makes one 9" tart
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder; ¼ tsp. kosher salt; 1⅓ cups (167 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for surface; 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature; ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar; 1 large egg, room temperature; 1 cup (121 g) almond flour or meal; 3 Tbsp. (23 g) all-purpose flour; 2 Tbsp. (12 g) Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder; ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature; ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted, cooled; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; ½ tsp. almond extract; ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 2 firm but ripe pears (such as Anjou, Bartlett, or Packham), thinly sliced; ¼ cup sliced almonds; Powdered sugar (for dusting); A 9"-diameter tart pan with removable bottom

By Kristen Hall

September 14, 2021

Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio

Pastry chef Kristen Hall of Bandit Patisserie in Birmingham, AL, swears by fraisage, a classic French technique she uses to create the flaky crust of this rich chocolate-almond pear tart. Fraisage uses the heel of your hand to smear the tart dough across your work surface to create a smooth dough that rolls out with minimal cracking.