Pear Tarte Tatin

As promised, the second post related to my trip to Paris last week, this time orientated around all things sweet. I love macaroons so as you can imagine was in my element in their homeland. I visited Laduree three days in a row, and enjoyed a monster pistachio flavoured one filled with raspberries and cream. 

Monster Macaroon!!

I’ve had apple tarte tatin before but was excited to try it with pear, being very fond of the fruit. Using ready made puff pastry made the whole thing very quick and easy, and the only mistake I made was to not peel the pears (as you can see in the picture they caught a little in the pan). But all in all, a really simple dessert, which looks impressive and tastes great, especially with the addition of double cream or ice cream.

From Lorraine Pascale’s ‘Baking Made Easy’

Serves 8 to 10

500g shop bought puff pastry

100g butter

5/6 pears, peeled, cored and halved

100g caster sugar

finely grated zest of ½ lemon

plain flour, for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Melt the sugar in an wide ovenproof frying pan over a low heat. When the butter has melted and sugar dissolved turn up the heat and bring the mixture to the boil. It will look very oily, but this is supposed to happen. Keep swirling the mixture on a high heat until it goes a honeycomb colour.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and lower the pears into the mixture, cut side up. Do this very carefully so as not to splash the boiling hot sugar on yourself. Return the pan to the heat and spoon the mixture over the pears, so that the pears are caramalised and go a golden brown colour.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and arrange the fruit into a wheel shape with the pointed ends facing inwards.
4. Cut a circle out of the ready rolled pastry, large enough to cover the pan with a little extra. Cover the pan with the pastry and tuck the pastry in around the fruit.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes before tipping off any excess liquid. Then standing over the sink, invert the tarte on to a plate.

Culinary Know How: FRESHER

Budget: UNDER £4

Kitchen Requirements: WIDE OVENPROOF FRYING PAN.

I couldn't resist, more pictures of Parisian patisserie...