Pear and Almond Tart

Pear and Almond Tart

Serves 8; Preparation time: 20 minutes; Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 450g/14 1/2 oz chilled ready-made or homemade sweet short crust pastry
• flour for dusting
• 125g/4oz. unsalted butter softened.
• 125g/4oz. caster sugar
• 125g/4 oz. ground almonds
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 ripe pears, peeled, cored and thickly sliced
• 25g/1 oz. flaked almonds
• icing sugar for dusting

For The Chocolate Sauce:

• 100g (3.5oz.) plain dark chocolate, chopped
• 50g (2 oz.) unsalted butter, diced
• 1 tbsp golden syrup together. 

Preparation:

1. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 25cm (10 in.) flan tin. Prick the base with a fork and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Line with a nonstick baking paper , add macaroni or beans and bake blind in a preheated oven, at 190ºC (375ºF)/gas Mark 5 for 15 minutes.
3. Remove the baking paper and beans and bake for a further 5 – 10 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Leave to cool completely. 
4. Beat the butter, sugar and ground almonds together until smooth, then beat in the eggs and lemon juice.
5. Arrange the pear slices over the pastry case and carefully spread over the almond mixture. Sprinkle with flaked almonds and bake for 30 minutes until the topping is golden and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
6. For the sauce: melt the chocolate in bowl over hot water. Add the other ingredients and mix. Allow to cool slightly.
7. Dust the tart with sifted icing sugar and serve in wedges with chocolate sauce and some vanilla ice cream.