Serves 8

Prep time 25 mins, cook 1 hr (plus resting, cooling, standing)

For pâte sucrée, process flour, icing sugar and a pinch of salt in a food processor to combine, add butter and 1 tbsp iced water, process until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add yolk, process to combine, turn onto a work surface and bring together with the heel of your hand. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate (2 hours).


Meanwhile, for muscat-poached pears, bring muscat, sugar, orange rind and juice, cinnamon and 600ml water to the simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add pear, cover closely with baking paper, weight with a plate and simmer until just tender (15-20 minutes). Transfer 500ml poaching liquid to a saucepan, simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to a light syrup (10-15 minutes), cool to room temperature. Cool pears in remaining poaching liquid.

Preheat oven to 180C. Divide pastry into 8, roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface to 2mm thick and line eight 10.5cm-diameter, 2cm-deep fluted tart tins. Trim edges and refrigerate to rest (30 minutes). Blind bake tarts until light golden (15-20 minutes), remove paper and weights, brush with eggwash, bake again until crisp and golden (4-5 minutes), cool on a wire rack.


Bring cream and muscat to the simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add chocolate, remove from heat, stir until smooth, refrigerate until slightly thick (30 minutes).


Drain pear and pat dry with absorbent paper. Thinly slice 4 pear halves, arrange in tart cases, pour over ganache and refrigerate until set. Serve with muscat-poached pears, reduced syrup and candied rind.