Mandla Mthiyane’s pear, almond and chocolate tart

Queen of Puddings

Merlot is generally considered a partner for savoury rather than sweet dishes but the Laibach Merlot 2007 comes into its own with a decadent tea-time treat. By Anna Trapido.

 

Tasked with finding a food match for the Laibach Merlot 2007, new Westcliff Hotel executive chef Nicky Gibbs felt that the "spicy almost floral, herby" qualities of the wine were worth highlighting.

"I liked the subtleness of the wine and I wanted to see if I could reflect and enhance its gentle, aromatic strengths and its underlying sweetness."

She says her choice of dish was easy. "As soon as I tasted this wine, it reminded me of a great pear, almond and chocolate tart that my pastry trainee, Mandla Mthiyane, had created for our high tea a few weeks back. It's his adaptation of a tarte bourguignonne. I took one sip of the Merlot and thought, ‘Damn, this would be lovely with Mandla's pear tart.' So that's what I did."

Giving him credit is unusual in an industry that has traditionally thrived on the subordination of junior staff - and all the more remarkable considering an illustrious career which has encompassed everything from London's legendary Quaglino's to a stint as the personal chef for the Rolling Stones on tour ("They used to call me the queen of puddings").

She explains her willingness to recognise the contribution of others: "I can't run this huge operation on my own. I want to acknowledge, reward and recognise talent. To do so instils a sense of ownership and pride in the staff about the dishes that they are responsible for. Without that, we are doomed to failure."

The pudding queen says that the tart is "no icky sweet gooey pie" but rather layers of red wine and rosemary poached pears baked onto a ground almond and dark chocolate base.

"I like the firmness of the just poached pears - they can take the velvety richness of the wine - and I like the way the herbs in the poaching liquid complement the herbal aromas and tastes of the wine.

Add a dollop of double cream, and it's the perfect combination of crunch and give. It's classic and yet has a modern twist. It's understated and yet delicious. Subtle and yet not without complexity of flavour. Generous but not overwhelming."

Mandla Mthiyane's pear, almond and chocolate tart

POACHED PEARS
5 pears, peeled and cored
2l Merlot
100g sugar
50g thyme
2 sticks cinnamon
50g rosemary
2 bay leaves

PÂTE SUCRÉE PASTRY
100g butter
100g castor sugar
100g flour
1 egg

CHOCOLATE FRANGIPAN
200g butter
200g castor sugar
2 large eggs
40g cocoa powder
200g ground almonds
200g flour
50ml melted dark chocolate

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
100g dark chocolate
200ml double cream

Mix the Merlot, sugar, thyme, rosemary and cinnamon in a large pot and bring to simmering point. Add the pears and poach for 15 minutes under a cartouche. Cool and set aside for the flavours to infuse, ideally overnight. Keep the poaching liquid.

To make the pastry, cream the butter and sugar until pale, then add the egg and mix through. Cut in the flour and rest the dough for an hour in a fridge.

To make the frangipan, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, then the cocoa powder and ground almonds. Once everything is properly mixed, add the flour. Once the flour is incorporated, add the melted chocolate and mix through.

For the ganache, bring the cream to a simmer and pour over the chocolate. Beat and fold until smooth.

To assemble the tart, blind-bake the pastry until it is golden. Allow it to cool, then spread the ganache on the base and allow it to cool and set. Once it is set, pipe the frangipan into the tart and assemble the poached pears on top. Bake for 15 minutes at 180°C.

When done, glaze the top with some of the poaching liquid.

It may be Mthiyane's recipe, but one bite of and it's clear why the queen of puddings reigns supreme.