Instructions: Prepare the pears a few hours in advance: put the pears with the coffee sugar hazelnut syrup (or liqueur) in a pan and simmer gently until the fruit is tender (about 15 minutes depending on how ripe they are).

Then leave to cool and bathe in the liqueur qv below).

Roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick and cut to fit a 12tartlet moulded tin or a 20cmdiameter tart tin.

Grease the tin then line with the pastry and prick the bases all over with a fork. Next line the pastry with foil and fill with rice (or baking beans) and chill for about 30 minutes.

Bake for about 12 minutes at 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5 then remove the rice and foil.

Meanwhile prepare the filling: break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of simmering water until melted making sure the base of the bowl isnt in contact with the water. Next stir the butter into the chocolate and remove from the heat.

Whisk the sugar and the eggs until thick then fold this into the chocolate mixture.

Pour the filling into the cooked tart cases and bake at 190C/375F; Gas Mark 5 for about 20 minutes (or 25 minutes for one large tare).

When ready to serve drain the pears of their coffee syrup (halve them if you like) and serve with the cream along side a chocolate tartlet.

These tarts are gorgeous just as they are but the pears make them extraspecial. Dont prepare the pears the day before as you normally would for poached pears because too much coffee intake can tip them over into bitterness.

Makes 12 tartlets or you could make 1 large tart

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