 White Chocolate and Ginger Tart with Riesling and Star Anise Poached Pears
Poached Pears:
2 cups riesling wine
3/4 cup sugar
2 star anise
2 ripe pears (I prefer D’Anjou pears, but any fragrant pear will do!)
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, riesling and star anise to a simmer. Peel the pears and slice in half. Add to the poaching liquid, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, turning the pears occasionally in the liquid. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate.
Crust:
1/4 cup sesame seeds
14 gingersnap cookies
9 chocolate cookies ("Famous Chocolate Cookies")
1/2 stick unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a 9" tart pan (with removable bottom)
Finely grind the cookies in the food processor.
Melt the butter and add to the cookie crumbs and sesame seeds, combining well.
Press firmly and evenly on the bottom and around the sides of the tart pan.
Bake in the 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until set.
Remove and cool.
Filling:
7 oz. white chocolate
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 Tb. water
1 tsp. powdered gelatin
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup sour cream
2 Tb. finely chopped crystallized ginger
16 thin strips of candied ginger for garnish
Melt the white chocolate and 1/3 cup whipping cream in the microwave. (Be slow about this: 1 minute at a time, stirring frequnetly until smooth) Place the water in a small bowl, sprinkling the gelatin on top. Allow to soften. Briefly (10-20 seconds) heat the gelatin water in the microwave until dissolved. Add the gelatin water to the white chocolate mixture and stir well. In a mixing bowl, whisk the 1/4 cup cream and sour cream until softly mounded. Fold into the white chocolate mixture until blended.
Sprinkle the finely chopped ginger evenly over the tart crust. Slowly pour the white chocolate filling into the crust., smoothing evenly. Refrigerate until set (2-3 hours).
To Serve:
Remove the tart pan outer ring, and using a hot knife slice the tart into 8 slices. Garnish each slice with the strips of ginger. Fan one quarter of a pear onto the plate next to the tart slice, and drizzle a little of the pear poaching liquid over the top. Add a mint leaf for color and ENJOY.
8 Servings
View a full color version of this recipe.
|
