San Martino Pear and Chocolate Tart

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Stir the sugar and water together in a medium skillet. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is melted and the syrup is boiling. Don’t stir the syrup after it comes to a boil, as this will most likely form crystals in the syrup. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally to prevent the syrup from hardening on the sides of the pan, until the syrup begins to turn a very pale golden brown. You will be able to tell when the syrup is about to change color—the bubbles will be larger and will move a little more slowly. When the syrup begins to change color, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking and swirling until the syrup is a medium-amber color (about 340° F on a candy thermometer). If the caramel begins to color too quickly, dip the bottom of the skillet or saucepan in a basin of cool water for a second or two. Pour the caramel immediately into a 10-inch round heatproof pie dish or shallow casserole and tilt to coat the entire bottom with caramel.

   Step 2

   Preheat the oven to 325° F. Choose a roasting pan large enough to fit the pie plate and place it on the center rack of the oven. Heat a kettle of water to boiling.

   Step 3

   Pour the crumbled cookies into a blender jar and blend, using on/off motions, until finely ground. Pour in the cocoa and sugar and pulse to mix with the cookies. Pour in the milk, eggs and yolk, rum, and baking powder and blend at low speed, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the jar, until smooth. Pour in the heavy cream, and blend just enough to incorporate the cream. Scrape into a mixing bowl and stir in the pears.

   Step 4

   Pour the chocolate-pear mixture into the prepared dish and set the dish in the roasting pan. Pour in enough of the boiling water from the kettle to come halfway up the mold. Bake until firm in the center and lightly browned on top, about 40 minutes.

   Step 5

   Remove carefully from the water bath and place on a wire rack. Cool completely to room temperature, then chill thoroughly. To serve, run a thin knife around the edges of the custard to loosen them. Invert a plate large enough to hold comfortably over the tart, then, in one quick motion, flip the tart over and set the plate down. The tart may take several seconds to work itself loose from the dish. After it does so, gently lift off the dish and serve the tart.

2. Variation: Caramel-Pear Sauce for the Tart

   Step 6

   If you’d like to take this dessert one step further, prepare this simple sauce that echoes the caramel-pear flavors for the tart. Peel and slice thin an extra pear and double the amount of caramel called for in the recipe. When the caramel is done, pour half of it into the dish and immediately scatter the extra sliced pear over the caramel remaining in the pan. Shake the pan off the heat until the liquid given off by the pears begins to loosen the caramel. Stir in 2 tablespoons of rum and stir until all the caramel is dissolved. If necessary, return the pan to low heat to dissolve the last bits of caramel. Serve the sauce at room temperature, or rewarmed over very low heat, spooned around individual servings of the tart.