PEAR TARTS WITH TOFFEE PASTRY CREAM

Preparation time 40 mins plus 2 hours 30 mins cooling and chilling Cooking time 1ˆ/Œ hours

Makes 8

1‡/‰ cups caster sugar

2 Tbsp water

2 cups milk

4 free-range egg yolks

‡/‘ cup cornflour

‡/“ tsp sea-salt flakes

60g unsalted bu•er, chopped,

plus extra 50g

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 medium Corella pears,

cored and halved

‡/‰ cup brown sugar Pomegranate seeds, to serve

PASTRY

2 cups plain flour

‡/“ cup pure icing sugar, si˜ed ‡/“ tsp ground ginger

‡/‰ tsp ground cinnamon Good pinch ground cloves 220g unsalted bu•er, chilled

and finely chopped

2 Tbsp molasses

STEP 1 Line a large oven tray with baking paper. In a large saucepan, heat sugar and water on medium, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to high. Bring to the boil, not stirring. Reduce heat to medium and boil, swirling pan occasionally, until golden. Pour onto prepared tray. Cool completely, then break toffee into pieces. Reserve some for garnish.

STEP 2 Break remaining toffee into smaller pieces and put in a food processor. Process until fine crumbs form (you should have about 1 cup). In a medium saucepan, combine milk and half of the toffee crumbs. Cook over medium heat, until just simmering.

STEP 3 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk yolks, remaining toffee crumbs, cornflour and salt, until combined. Gradually stir about half of the hot milk mixture into yolk mixture. Return to saucepan with remaining milk mixture. Cook, stirring, over medium heat, until very thick, constantly whisking as it thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in buer and vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cool for 30 minutes. Chill for 2 hours.

STEP 4 Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160°C fan-forced (180°C conventional). For the pastry, put flour, icing sugar, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in a large bowl and stir to combine. Rub in buer with fingertips until just combined, then stir through molasses. Knead gently until dough comes together. Divide into 8 equal pieces.

STEP 5 Pat each dough portion into a 10cm fluted edge tart pan with a removable base. Prick pastry all over with a fork. Arrange on an oven tray. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Let cool, then gently remove tart shells from pans.

STEP 6 Increase oven to 180°C fan-forced (200°C conventional). Arrange pear halves cut side down in a 2L rectangular baking dish. In a small saucepan, combine ˆ/Š cup water, brown sugar and extra buer. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and buer melts. Pour over pears. Roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until tender, basting with liquid twice. Let cool slightly. Remove and slice pears, reserving liquid.

STEP 7 Divide chilled pastry cream evenly between tart shells. Arrange pears over cream and drizzle with cooking liquid. Top each tart with pomegranate seeds and reserved toffee pieces to serve.