Ingreadient :

• This recipe below makes 720g of pastry dough. This is enough dough for any of the following tin sizes:
• 36 tartlets made in 12-hole tins
• 24 slightly larger tartlets made in 8 cm loose-bottomed tins or rings (2cm deep)
• 12 individual tarts made in 10cm loose-bottomed tins or rings (2cm deep)
• 4 larger tarts, made in 16cm loose-bottomed tins or rings (2cm deep)
• 2 large tarts made in 20cm loose-bottomed tins or rings (4cm deep),
• 1 large tart made in a 26cm loose-bottomed tin (4cm deep), with enough left over to make smaller tarts of your choice.
• 350g flour
• 125g butter
• 125g sugar
• 2 eggs plus one yolk
• Pinch of salt
• Use a tin of pears
• 250g unsalted butter
• 250g caster sugar
• 250g ground almonds
• 50g flour
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp Poire William liqueur or rum, or equivalent

Direction :

1. If making the sweet pastry; place the butter, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and mix with a wooden spatula or using the paddle on a Kenwood or Kitchen Aid. Add the flour and the egg and mix until all of the ingredients are bound together. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work into a ball shape. Wrap the dough in greaseproof paper and leave to rest in the fridge for at least an hour before using.

Note: the dough can be kept for up to 10 days in the fridge or a few weeks in the freezer.

2. To make the almond cream, beat the butter until very soft, preferably in a mixer. With the motor running, add the sugar and ground almonds and mix some more. Now mix in the flour, then the eggs, and finally the alcohol. Transfer to a small bowl and put in the fridge for 15 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Halve the pears if small, or cut them into quarters if large. Place them rounded side up on the chopping board, then make several width ways cuts that go about two-thirds of the way through the flesh. Press down gently and the pear will fan out a little.

4. Remove the tins from the fridge and using a spoon or piping bag, half-fill each pastry case with the almond cream. Arrange a halved pear on top. Place on baking trays and bake for about 25 minutes, until the almond cream is golden. Leave in the tins for about 15 minutes, then lift out and cool on a rack. Using a pastry brush, lightly glaze the top of the tarts.