An almond cream filled tart with poached pears in a shortcrust pastry. This Frangipane Pear Tart is as tasty as it looks!
1. Make shortcrust pastry. Sift flour, icing sugar and sat into a ball. Rub cubed butter into the mixture with fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Add an egg and mix in. Add water and bring together until it forms a dough. Shape into a disc, wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Poach pears. Add boiling water, sugar, lemon juice and zest, vanilla bean, cinnamon, ginger and star anis to a sauce pan and bring to a simmer.
3. Peal, halve and core pears, add them to the water and poach for 20 minutes or so until tender.
4. Roll out pastry and place in tart tin. dock base, fill with parchment paper and pie weights and bake for 15 mins. Remove weights and bake for another 7 minutes.
5. Make Frangipane. Add butter and sugar to a bowl and cream until pale. Add eggs and mix in. Add ground almonds, flour and almond extract and mix until combined
6. Add frangipane to tart base and smooth. Remove poached pears from liquid and drain on paper towel. Cut cross ways into slices and lay pears on filling. Bake for 40 minutes until golden.
7. Poach pears in sugar, lemon, cinnamon and ginger liquid until slightly softened.
8. Remove poached pears from liquid and drain on paper towel. Cut cross ways into slices and lay pears on filling. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 40 minutes until golden.
9. Brush baked tart with marmalade. Serve warm with creme fraiche or cream.