Pear, Stem Ginger, Dark Chocolate and Hazelnut Galette

I often create recipes based on my farmers shop haul, its most often what‘s in season and what looks good. I base my recipes around a key ingredient. In this case Williams Pear or Bartlett for my American friends.

The flavour combinations in this galette are a match made in heaven. All complementing each other perfectly. Sweet juicy pear, bitter rich dark chocolate, sweet, sticky jewels of fiery stem ginger, all enveloped in flaky pastry and finished with crunchy toasted hazelnuts. Gosh I am craving a slice as I write this!

It‘s simple to make and if you‘re a real beginner in the kitchen then a shop brought pastry would be perfectly acceptable. (just be sure to buy a vegan variety)

I served this with creamy soy vanilla yogurt, but custard or oat cream/ creme fraiche would be delicious too.

If you have a good gluten free short crust pastry recipe, feel free to use that instead, or swat for a gluten free blend flour.

SERVES:
06-08

Ingredients
Instructions

Ingredients

Pastry

225g plain flour

120g plant butter

2-3 tbs oat milk

2 tbs caster sugar

Pinch of salt

Filling

5 pears

100d dark chocolate

3 balls of stem ginger

2-3 tbs stem ginger syrup

½ cup hazelnuts roughly chopped

Instructions

Start with the pastry, in a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the plant butter in small dollops/chunks or cubes. Rub the butter into the flour with your palms facing up and rubbing from your little finger to your thumb, until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Using a knife, add a tbs of oat milk and combine with the crumb, you should be able to bring the pastry together in a ball. If it‘s still dry add a little more milk until it can be formed into a ball.
Bring the dough together quickly and form into a rough disc. The least about you handle the pastry the better. Wrap in cling film and allow to rest and chill in the fridge for at 30minutes.
Pre heat the oven to 180°C
Cut your pear into thick slices length ways and place into a large bowl, dice the stem ginger and add to the bowl along with the syrup.
Roughly chop the dark chocolate into chunks and add half to the bowl, stir gentle to roughly combine.
When the pastry has had half an hour chilling, remove from the fridge, and place on a large square of baking paper, place another square on top. Roll out to form a rough round about 5mm thick. Slide the pastry onto baking tray. I like to use the round pizza trays.
Pile the pear mix into the middle of the pastry, carefully fold up the sides of the pastry, using the baking paper to help you, by folding it up first, then peeling back the paper.
Finish by adding the remaining dark chocolate chunks, and gently pressing the chopped hazelnuts around the rim of the pastry and edge of the pears. Alternatively, just sprinkle them liberally all over.
Place in the pre heated oven for about 30-40 minutes, giving it a turn in the oven every now and then.
The pastry should be golden, the chocolate melted and pears juicy and soft. The hazelnuts should have also toasted up nicely.
Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before serving with ice cream, cream, creme fraiche or custard.