Frangipane Tart with Star Anise Poached Pears

DIFFICULTY

Average Average

PREP TIME

Under 30 Min. Under 30 Min.

COOK TIME

Under 2 Hrs. Under 2 Hrs.

SERVES

8-10 8-10

Frangipane Tart with Star Anise Poached Pears

A sweet frangipane tart with tender-poached pears, baked to perfection in Le Creuset non-stick bakeware. Serve with whipped cream for a decadent treat.

Main INGREDIENTS

Fruit

Ingredients

Method

Ingredients

FOR THE PASTRY

250g cake wheat flour
2 Tbsp (30ml) icing sugar
1/4 Tsp fine salt
150g salted butter, cold
1 egg yolk
45-60ml ice water

FOR THE FRANGIPANE FILLING

175g salted butter, softened
175g castor sugar
3 extra-large eggs
175g almond flour
4 Tsp (20ml) cake wheat flour
20ml hazelnut liquer (optional) or 1 1/2 Tsp vanilla extract

FOR THE POACHING LIQUID

250ml (1 cup) water
750ml (3 cups) white wine (Sauvignon Blanc)
110g (1/2 cups) soft brown sugar
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
3 star anise
Peel of 1 lemon
4-5 Bosc pears, firm but not ripe, peeled
40g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
Icing sugar, for dusting

Method
1

For the pastry, place the flour, icing sugar and salt in a processor. Pulse to aerate. Add the butter and process until the texture is roughly crumbed. Whisk the egg yolk and 45ml water together, then add to the flour. Pulse to combine. Drizzle in the remaining water if the dough is slightly crumbly. Turn out and press together lightly. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.
2

For the frangipane, cream the butter and castor sugar together until pale. Add the eggs and mix to combine. Add the almond flour and cake wheat flour and whisk until creamy. Fold through the liqueur, if using, or vanilla extract.
3

For the poached pears, place all the poaching ingredients in a deep saucepan. Bring up to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Lower the pears gently into the liquid and poach for 20-25 minutes, turning the pears several times to ensure even cooking. Remove from the heat and cool in the liquid.
4

On a floured board, roll the dough out to a 3mm thickness. Line the Le Creuset Bakeware Square Fluted Tart Tin on the base and sides. Prick the pastry base with a fork and chill until firm.
5

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread the frangipane evenly over the pastry case. Halve and core the pears. Slice thinly, then arrange over the frangipane. Scatter the hazelnuts around the sides. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C and bake for a further 45-50 minutes. Cover with foil for the last 10 minutes if browning too rapidly.
6

Cook’s Note: Reserved poaching liquid can be reduced until syrupy and thick. Serve alongside the tart with softly whipped cream.