Pre-heat the oven to 180oC/350oF/Gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 24cm loose-bottomed tart tin.
Roll out the pastry into a circle 3mm thick and slightly wider than the tin. Line the tin, gently easing the pastry down into the corners. Leave 2.5cm pastry overhanging the edge. Chill for 10 minutes.
Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and fill with dried beans, rice or flour. Put the tin onto a baking tray and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove the paper with the beans and bake the pastry case for a further 5 minutes, so that the pastry no longer looks glassy. Trim off the overhanging pastry edge level with the top of the tin.
Reduce the oven temperature to 170oC/325oF/Gas mark 3.
Peel, core and roughly slice six of the pears, Place in a pan with 1 tbsp water. Cook over a medium heat for 5–10 minutes, until soft. Sweeten with sugar to taste. Drain through a sieve to remove any excess liquid, then beat to a purée.
Peel and core the remaining two pears, and cut it into neat 6mm slices. Fry gently in the unsalted butter until softened and lightly coloured. Place the pear purée in the bottom of the pastry case and overlap the pear slices on top.
In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks, whole egg and honey, then whisk the double cream into the egg mix. Pour into the pastry case, over the pears, and bake for 30 minutes, until the mixture has set and is golden brown. Serve in slices with a dollop of cream and cinnamon sauce.
For the cinnamon sauce:
“This recipe uses goat’s milk and baking powder. I don’t know what happens to it when boiled but it makes such a great sauce. And before you try it with another type of milk, let me tell you it doesn’t work – trust me, I’ve tried. It will keep in the fridge for about a week and will only need warming up to serve. It’s fab with vanilla ice cream.” – James
Put the milk, half the sugar and the golden syrup in a pan. Bring to the boil. Crumble the cinnamon sticks into the milk and add the baking powder.
Take the pan off the heat and stir well as the mix will rise quickly. Continue to whisk the mixture until it stops rising, then place back on the heat and bring back to the boil, whisking all the time.
Turn down the heat and cook for about 45 minutes, simmering, and stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture from burning. It should have the thickness of double cream and be caramel in colour.
Pre-heat the oven to 180oC/350oF/Gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 24cm loose-bottomed tart tin.
Roll out the pastry into a circle 3mm thick and slightly wider than the tin. Line the tin, gently easing the pastry down into the corners. Leave 2.5cm pastry overhanging the edge. Chill for 10 minutes.
Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and fill with dried beans, rice or flour. Put the tin onto a baking tray and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove the paper with the beans and bake the pastry case for a further 5 minutes, so that the pastry no longer looks glassy. Trim off the overhanging pastry edge level with the top of the tin.
Reduce the oven temperature to 170oC/325oF/Gas mark 3.
Peel, core and roughly slice six of the pears, Place in a pan with 1 tbsp water. Cook over a medium heat for 5–10 minutes, until soft. Sweeten with sugar to taste. Drain through a sieve to remove any excess liquid, then beat to a purée.
Peel and core the remaining two pears, and cut it into neat 6mm slices. Fry gently in the unsalted butter until softened and lightly coloured. Place the pear purée in the bottom of the pastry case and overlap the pear slices on top.
In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks, whole egg and honey, then whisk the double cream into the egg mix. Pour into the pastry case, over the pears, and bake for 30 minutes, until the mixture has set and is golden brown. Serve in slices with a dollop of cream and cinnamon sauce.
For the cinnamon sauce:
“This recipe uses goat’s milk and baking powder. I don’t know what happens to it when boiled but it makes such a great sauce. And before you try it with another type of milk, let me tell you it doesn’t work – trust me, I’ve tried. It will keep in the fridge for about a week and will only need warming up to serve. It’s fab with vanilla ice cream.” – James
Put the milk, half the sugar and the golden syrup in a pan. Bring to the boil. Crumble the cinnamon sticks into the milk and add the baking powder.
Take the pan off the heat and stir well as the mix will rise quickly. Continue to whisk the mixture until it stops rising, then place back on the heat and bring back to the boil, whisking all the time.
Turn down the heat and cook for about 45 minutes, simmering, and stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture from burning. It should have the thickness of double cream and be caramel in colour.
