Chambord macerated pears are key to this chocolate blackberry pear tart. Cut to resemble skulls, layered with blackberry jam blood and almond sliver bones, and baked in a chocolate crust.

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What happens when you dress up a blackberry pear tart with chocolate crust for Halloween? You get a skull tart. While obviously this recipe is meant for Halloween, with pears cut into skulls sitting in a pool of blackberry preserve blood and almond sliver bones, but you could definitely make this year round with sliced up pears. Or maybe you’re spooky year round -no judgement here.

Originally I wanted a layer of chocolate ganache on the bottom, underneath the blackberry jam and pear skulls, but usually toy don’t bake ganache. I suppose I could have roasted the pears and cooked the crust separately, layering the chocolate ganache, blackberry jam, and pears into the pre-baked crust, but this way was simpler and just as tasty and creepy looking.

I think the best part of making this blackberry pear tart for Halloween is that it is very forgiving. Break the pears while cutting them? Those cracks actually make the end result look cooler than if they did not, because they play into the creep factor looking like fractured/scratched skulls. Filling didn’t fully set? Looks more like oozing blood.

However, if you manage to not break your pears while cutting them, you can easily cut some lines into them to get the same effect. And if your filling sets properly, the macerating liquid from the pears gets cooked down and turned into a syrup to serve on top anyway to produce the same bloody resemblance. Seriously, you can almost do no wrong here.

Another neat idea would be to bake each pear half in its own mini tart pan, allowing you to serve each pear skull whole instead of slicing through them to serve up the full-sized tart. Don’t have 8 small tart pans? Try using ramekins or turning them into free-form mini skull galettes.

This chocolate blackberry pear tart would also be delicious served with some fresh whipped cream or ice cream. Just make sure you serve that on the side as you don’t want to cover up your hard work making all those pear skulls!

One year ago: Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Four years ago: Flying Purple People Eater Cake Balls

Five years ago: Slime Lava Cakes

Seven years ago: Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies

Eight years ago: Weekly Meal Plan #33

Nine years ago: Chocolate Deviled Eggs

Ten years ago: No-Churn Pumpkin Cannoli Ice Cream

Eleven years ago: Ghost Chili with Cornbread Topping and Chipotle Crema

CHOCOLATE BLACKBERRY PEAR TART

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Yield: 6-8 Servings Prep Time: 8 Hours 45 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 MInutes 45 MInutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

PEARS

• 4 pears*, peeled, cored, and halved lengthwise
• 2 cups Chambord liqueur
• 1 cup dry red wine 

CRUST

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder**
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold shortening (or unsalted butter)
• 1/4 cup cold milk

FILLING

• 10 oz. blackberry preserves
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine Chambord liqueur and wine; set aside.
2. Use an apple corer to cut out two holes for eyes on the larger half of the pear, then use a paring knife to cut out a triangle for the nose, and slits on the narrow end for teeth. Place in macerating liquid, cover, and allow to soak overnight.
3. For the crust, in food processor or a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugars, and salt. Add shortening by pulsing in a food processor or cutting in with a knife until it resembles coarse wet sand.
4. Add milk to flour mixture, and mix until distributed. With hands, form dough into a round flattened disc, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes or overnight.
5. When ready to assemble, position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
6. Remove pears from the macerating liquid and place on a plate lined with paper towel.
7. Pour macerating liquid into a medium saucepan, set over medium-high heat, and cook until reduced, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool then refrigerate until ready to serve.
8. While the liquid reduces, roll dough out on a floured surface to fit to a 10-inch tart pan (or pie plate). Transfer to the pan, fold over any excess crust.
9. In a small bowl, mix together the preserves, cornstarch and almond extract, then spread evenly into the bottom. Arrange pears on top and sprinkle with slivered almonds.
10. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until filling is bubbling all over. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving with reduced Chambord-wine syrup.

Notes

*I used bosc pears because they hold their shape well after baking, but if you prefer a softer pear try anjou or bartlett. **Since it’s not a leavened recipe, you can substitute Natural cocoa powder but the crust will have a lighter color.

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Source: Crust adapted from my Blackberry Tart, filling adapted from Ghoul at Heart.