POACHED PEAR AND FLYER DARK CHOCOLATE TART

Number of Servings: 8

Hazelnut Ginger Crust
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
3 ounces blanched almonds, toasted and ground
3 ounces blanched hazelnuts, toasted and ground
4 ounces butter, unsalted and room temperature
3.5 ounces sugar
5 ounces flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Zest from one-half lemon
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground cloves

1. Toast almonds and hazelnuts in a 300 degree oven until lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Cool, process until finely ground.
2. In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter with the sugar.
3. Add nuts.
4. Combine flour with remaining ingredients and add to above. Mix to blend.
5. Refrigerate dough for one hour. Can be made a day ahead.
6. Line tart molds with the hazelnut ginger crust. Refrigerate again for one hour.


Poaching Liquid
Preparation Time: 60 minutes
1 bottle of dry white wine, 750ml
¾ cup sugar
2-3 strips lemon zest
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
½ vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cinnamon stick
4 pears: French Butter, d’Anjou, Forelle, peeled, cored, cut in half

1. In large saucepot, combine wine with all ingredients except pears.
2. Bring to a simmer and when sugar has dissolved, lower heat.
3. Add pears, (cored side up) and gently poach about 30 minutes or until tender. Time needed will depend on ripeness of pears.
4. Remove pears from liquid. Reduce poaching syrup by one-half, about 10 -12 minutes, at a gentle simmer. Cool.
5. Pour cool poaching liquid over pears and refrigerate overnight.
6. Before serving, strain and cut pears horizontally into thin slices. Reserve.


Flyer Gold Plane No. 4 Dark Chocolate Custard
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces Flyer Gold Plane No. 4 dark chocolate, chopped
5 yolks
pinch of salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine the heavy cream and chocolate in a pan set over simmering water or in the top of a double boiler
2. In a separate bowl, whisk yolks, salt, and sugar together to form a light ribbon.
3. Add about one-third of the melted chocolate and cream into the yolk and sugar mixture. Stir and then add remainder of melted chocolate and combine completely.
4. Strain through chinois or fine mesh strainer. Add vanilla extract.


Assembly
Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place tart molds on a baking sheet and line them with pie weights. Bake for 8 minutes.
Remove weights and bake for two more minutes. Cool slightly.
Decrease heat to 325 degrees.

Fill the prebaked tart shells with the chocolate custard. Bake until edges are firm and the middle is soft, about 20 minutes. Cool.

Before serving, fan the strained pear slices down middle of tart.

Serve with a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

WARM FLYER CHOCOLATE CHEESE CAKE

Number of Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 45 minutes

5 eggs
2/3 C sugar
10 oz. Flyer Gold Plane 4 Fine Dark Chocolate with a Touch of Milk
2/3 C butter
1/3 C sifted flour
2 tbs bittersweet cocoa powder
2 oz. favorite liquor
Pinch of salt
Raspberries

1. Using a Kitchen Aid type appliance or egg beaters, combine eggs and sugar in a bowl and whip for approximately 20-30 minutes.
2. Over a double-boiler melt chocolate and butter together.
3. Once egg/sugar mixture is ready, slowly add the flour. Mix thoroughly. Turn machine off and scrape all sides and bottom of the bowl.
4. Mix again and add the cocoa powder, liquor and salt.
5. Spray individual mold, soufflés or muffin tins with a heavy coating of Pam.
6. Fill molds half way; add two raspberries, then continuing to fill the rest of the way.
7. Bake in a 375 oven for approximately 8-10 minutes
8. To serve, invert the cake onto a plate, garnish with fresh raspberries and whipped cream.

FLYER CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Number of Servings: 8
Preparation Time: approximately 45 minutes, allow at least three hours in refrigerator before eating

16 oz. Flyer Gold Plane 4 - Fine Dark Chocolate with A Touch of Milk
1 pt. of heavy cream
4 egg whites
1 oz. orange liqueur
double boiler, whisk, spatula, individual serving cups or one large bowl

1. Slowly melt the chocolate in a double boiler and stir as needed to prevent burning. Turn heat down or off after initial melting and continue to stir until smooth.
2. Whip the cream to a soft, thick peak.
3. Whip the egg whites to soft peak.
4. Add one-half of the egg whites to the chocolate using a whisk until the egg whites are evenly mixed into the chocolate.
5. Using the spatula, fold in the remaining egg whites and the whipped cream into the chocolate until well-mixed and very smooth. The mixture should now be all the same color and filled with air.
6. Place the mixture into serving cups or the large bowl and then into the refrigerator for at least three hours until it has cooled and set.

FLYER DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE!

Number of Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 45 minutes + baking and cooling time

The Cake

8 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
¾ lb. cottage cheese
¼ cup sugar
2 whole eggs
4 oz. Flyer Gold Plane 4 Dark Chocolate
2 tsp. vanilla extract

The Crust

1 oz. butter
8 oz. Graham cracker crumbs

The Mousse

4 oz. Flyer Gold Plane 4 Dark Chocolate
6 oz. heavy cream

1. To make the crust, melt the butter in a pan and thoroughly mix in the Graham cracker crumbs.
2. Place the butter and cracker mixture evenly in a 9 in. spring-form or cake pan.

3. To make the cake, slowly melt the chocolate in a double boiler.
4. While the chocolate is melting, add the cream cheese, cottage cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla to a mixing bowl and thoroughly blend with an electric mixer until smooth.
5. Quickly add the melted chocolate and mix in very quickly to avoid clumping.
6. Place the batter in the baking pan with the crust and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
7. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes.
8. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until cold and top with the mousse.