A delightful Winter dessert!
Ingredients
- 350 g plain flour
- a pinch of salt
- 175 g unsalted cold butter (cut into cubes)
- 100 g icing sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- for the filling:
- 350 g unsalted butter (softened)
- 350 g caster sugar
- 350 g blanched whole almonds
- 3 eggs
- 6 ripe comice pears (peeled and halved)
Method
- For the sweet pastry pulse the flour salt and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add the sugar then the egg yolks and pulse. The mixture will immediately combine and leave the sides of the bowl.
- Remove wrap in cling film and chill for at least an hour. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Coarsely grate the pastry into a 30cm loose bottomed fluted flan tin then press it evenly on to the sides and base.
- Bake blind for 20 minutes until very light brown. Allow to cool
- For the filling: Method
- Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (300°F/Gas 3). For the filling cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and light.
- Put the almonds in a food processor and chop until fine. Add the butter and sugar and blend then beat in the eggs one by one.
- Place the pears face down. Pour over the pears and bake for for 40 minutes.
