PEAR & SALTED CARAMEL GALETTE

SERVES 4-6

This quietly sensational dessert can be knocked up in a flash if unexpected visitors arrive. Drizzle decadently with salted caramel sauce and your guests are sure to be impressed.

INGREDIENTS

250g caster sugar

300ml cream

50g unsalted butter, chopped into small cubes

5-6 large ripe unpeeled pears, slice three thick midsections with stems, core and cut rest into wedges ⅓ cup caster sugar

2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1-2 tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra for serving 1 Tbsp cornflour

400g packet sweet short pastry

1 free-range egg, beaten

2 Tbsp raw or demerara sugar, for sprinkling

1 Preheat oven to 180°C fanbake.

2 To make caramel sauce, heat 250g sugar in large pan over medium heat. Once sugar starts to melt, swirl sugar (do not stir) into liquid areas.

3 Once all sugar has melted (about 10 minutes) and turned dark amber, remove from heat. Immediately whisk in cream and butter – be careful as hot caramel can splash up. If sugar solidifies, return to heat until liquid again. 4 Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Gently toss together pear slices and wedges, sugar, lemon juice, salt and cornflour.

5 Roll out your pastry to a disc about 32cm in diameter. Arrange pear wedges in centre, leaving a 4cm border of pastry all around. Arrange the three thick pear slices on top with the stems sticking up.

6 Fold over pastry border to partly enclose fruit, leaving the centre open. Brush folded-over pastry with egg and sprinkle with raw sugar.

7 Bake the galette in the oven until golden brown and beginning to bubble in the centre (about 50 minutes). Serve with the warm caramel sauce, a sprinkle of sea salt and whipped cream or ice cream. •