Ingredients

Serves 8

155g (1¼ cups) plain flour
90g unsalted butter, chilled & chopped
60g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
2 egg yolks

Filling:
165g unsalted butter, softened
160g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
3 eggs
230g (2 ¼ cups) ground almonds
1 ½ tablespoons plain flour
2 ripe pears, peeled, halved lengthways with cores removed

Method

Grease a shallow 24 cm round flan tin with a removable base. Put the flour, butter and caster sugar in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and about 1 tablespoon of water until the mixture comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface and gather into a ball. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Roll the pastry between baking paper dusted with flour and line the tin with pastry. Trim off any excess. Prick the base a few times. Blind bake the pastry for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beads/rice and bake for 10 minutes.

To make the filling, mix the butter and sugar with electric beaters for 30 seconds only. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Fold in the ground almonds and flour and spread the filling over the cooled base. Cut the pears into 3mm slices, separate them slightly, then place on top of the tart to form a cross. Bake for 50 minutes, or until the filling has set (the middle may still be soft). Cool in the tin, then refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.


 

Recipe from Sweet food: delicious sweet treats that with cure any craving, Murdoch books, 2003