Cakes and Pastries Recipes - Tartlets with Pears and Star Anise with Almond Paste and Pastry Cream Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3 pears

• 2 oz lumps of sugar

• 2 star anise

• 1 tbsp pear schnapps

• 10 oz almond paste cream (refer recipe)

• 1 egg white

• 1 oz brown sugar

• Sweetened pastry dough:

•  7 1/4 oz flour

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 3 1/2 oz soft butter

• 1 egg

• 1 pinch salt

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Method:

1. Prepare the dough: place the flour in a bowl. Make a well place the sugar, butter in the center, (cut in slices), the egg and the salt. Combine until the dough is smooth. Shape into a ball. Let it rest for 2 hours.

2. Halve the pears and peel them, discarding the cores. Place the sugar lumps, together with a tablespoon of water, in a saucepan. Melt without stirring. When the caramel begins to darken add the pear halves, star anise, and schnapps. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. 

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.

4. Drain the pears, Cool. Reduce the juice to a syrup. Roll out the dough. line 4 tartlet pan. Bake blind for 8 minutes.

5. Pour the almond paste cream into the tartlet base, having lined the with stiff beaten egg white. Arrange the pears, cut into slices. Dust with brown sugar and bake for 15 minutes.

6. Serve surrounded with the pears' cooking juices.