Mulled Wine Poached Pear Tart Recipe

Ingredients

• 375g shortcrust pastry
• 5tbsp quince jelly or apricot jam, to glaze

For the pears:

• 3-4 under-ripe pears
• 75cl bottle red wine
• 3tbsp sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• handful of cloves
• 2 star anise

For the frangipane:

• 125g butter
• 150g caster sugar
• 200g ground almonds
• 2 eggs

You will need:

• a 22cm fluted, loose-based flan tin, lightly oiled
• foil
• baking beans

Method

1. Put a 75cl bottle of red wine into a saucepan. Add 3tbsp sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks, a handful of cloves and 2 star anise. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Now peel, core and halve the pears and add to the wine. Cook for 45 minutes.
   

2. Use the pastry to line the tin, leaving a good overlap. Chill for 20 minutes then heat the oven to 200C, gas 6 and bake blind for 20 minutes or until golden. Reduce the oven to 180C, gas 4.

3. Make the frangipane by putting all the ingredients into a food processor and blend well. Spoon into the pastry case then arrange the slices of cooked pears neatly over the surface. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is risen and golden. Leave to cool for 15 minutes in the tin. Gently heat the quince jelly then brush over the tart before serving with creme fraiche or ice cream.