Pear Tart Tatin

Methods for Pastry

1. Measure flour and add to a good bowl. Add butter chunks one by one from freezer and rub into flour with finger tips until all butter is rubbed in. If you want a lighter and flakier pastry, leave some butter in smaller chunks.
2. Add the iced water and vinegar to the mixture and mix in. If mixture is still wet, add 1 tbsp. of flour at a time until mixture comes together.
3. Wrap pastry in Clingfilm (Gladwrap) and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
4. Roll pastry out between 2 sheets of baking paper until it is about 2-3mm thick.
5. If you are blind baking, prick pastry before going into oven and bake for 10 mins at 200c.

Makes: 2 sheets.

Tips:

• Try and keep everything cold for this pastry.
• Measure and cut the butter into small chunks, keep in freezer and use bit by bit.
• Add a few ice cubes to the iced water so that it is very cold.
• Brush the top of your pastry with a little whisked egg prior to baking to add a golden colour.

Methods for Tart

1. To make the baked pears, preheat the oven to 160°C. Butter an ovenproof dish that will fit the pears snugly.

2. Peel, quarter and core the pears. Arrange the pears in the dish. Sprinkle the sugar over the pears, then dot with a little butter and some of the vanilla seeds. Pour in the brandy and cover with baking paper and foil. Bake for 2 hours, or until the pears are soft and light golden brown. Remove from the oven once cooled slightly, remove the vanilla bean pod and set aside.
3. Increase the oven to 190°C. You will need an ovenproof frying pan to cook the tart. Put the pan over medium heat and add the sugar, brandy, vanilla seeds and bean. Let the sugar dissolve and cook on a low heat until the mixture forms a light caramel (approx. 5-6 mins). **Make sure the caramel is on a low simmer as too much heat could cause it to boil over** - Remove the vanilla bean pod and discard
4. Add the baked pears, arranging them neatly in the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan gently to make sure the pears aren’t catching on the base. Dot with the cubed butter and allow to cool for 5-6mins, then lay the pastry over the top. Using a wooden spoon, tuck the pastry edge down around the pears, taking care not to touch the caramel, as it is very hot.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the caramel is bubbling up around the edge. Remove from the oven.
6. Get a serving plate that is larger than your pan and put the plate on top of the pan. Using oven gloves to protect your hands, invert the pan onto the plate. Allow the caramel to cool slightly before serving. It’s great served with cream or ice cream.