A Chocolate Lover's Dream-Chocolate Crumble With Pears, Candied Ginger and Walnuts

This might seem self complaisant but I am so enthusiastic about this dessert, it made me happy and I hope it will make you happy too! It might be that I need chocolate or maybe I was just surprised by how nice it tasted but when that first spoonful of this Chocolate Crumble With Pears, Candied Ginger and Walnuts hit my mouth or rather, my tastebuds, I almost moaned. I have to say that I am quite feed up with all the moaning you hear in cooking programs when the cook taste what he/she has done so I was a bit disgusted by my own reaction but I couldn't help myself, I really couldn't...

CHOOLATE CRUMBLE WITH PEARS, CANDIED GINGER AND WALNUTS

crumble topping:
200 g/ 7 oz flour
100 g/ 3,5 oz sugar
6 tblsp cocoa powder
150 g/ 5,3 oz butter, not hard but not too soft either

2-3 mature pears
100 g/3,5 oz walnuts, roughly chopped
50 g/ 1,75 oz candied ginger, chopped (optional)
butter for the form

 Mix the dry ingredients and then add the butter in pieces and rub it into the flour mixture until you have a crumbly mixture, like breadcrumbs.

 Slice the pears thinly and butter an oven-proof form generously. Put a layer of pear slices on the bottom of the form, sprinkle candied ginger and walnuts over and then cover it all with the chocolate crumble topping.

 Bake in a pre-heated oven (175°C/350°F) for 20-30 minutes. Take it out and let it cool down a little before serving.