- 100g/3½oz gram flour and 100g/3½oz rice or potato flour, OR 200g/7oz gluten-free and wheat-free flour
- 1 level tsp xanthan gum (available in health food stores and in some supermarkets)
- 110g/4oz dairy-free margarine OR butter (cow or goat) if you can eat it
- 30ml/1fl oz cold water
- 350ml/12fl oz cows', soya or rice milk (rice milk will be rather thinner and sweeter)
- 15g/½oz cornflour
- 80g/3oz dark dairy-free chocolate (70% cocoa solids minimum)
- 2 tbsp Cointreau, Grand Marnier or brandy
- 3 ripe pears
- Sift the flour or flours with the xanthan gum into the bowl of a food processor.
- Cut the margarine or butter into the flour and blend it until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the water and blend again; if it looks dry, add a little more water. Blend until the dough forms a ball.
- Remove from the processor, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
- Remove the pastry from the fridge. Roll it out onto a well floured board and line a 20-25cm/8-9in loose-bottomed flan tin. The pastry will be quite soft, so you may need to patch any bits that tear. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and weight with baking beans.
- Bake for 15 minutes then remove the beans and paper and bake for a further 10 minutes to crisp the pastry. Cool.
- Meanwhile, gradually mix whichever milk you are using into the cornflour and heat slowly, stirring continually until it thickens. Cook for a minute or two then remove from the heat.
- Break up 60g/2½oz of the chocolate and add it to the cornflour mix, stirring until it is all melted.
- Stir in the liqueur or brandy.
- Quarter the pears, core and peel them and arrange them, pointed side to the middle, in the flan dish.
- Spoon the chocolate sauce over the pears and allow to cool entirely.
- Grate over the remaining chocolate before serving.