A beautiful tart that is surprisingly simple to make and always get rave reviews. In late summer our pear tree always has a bumper crop - if I don’t make enough tarts, it may simply collapse with fruit! You can also substitute the pears for plums.
This recipe uses almonds or almond meal, however you can also substitute it for your preferred nut – hazelnut meal or hazelnut and almond meal is great.
Ingredients
- 180gm of almond meal or lightly roasted almonds (then put through food processor)
- 110gm of castor sugar
- 50gm plain flour
- ½ tsp baking power
- Pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 60ml of buttermilk
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 80gm of Pepe Saya unsalted butter (melt and cool)
- 2 ripe pears
- 20gm chilled Pepe Saya unsalted butter in small chunks
- Pepe Saya crème fraiche to serve
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180◦C. Butter your pie dish, I used a 25cm round ceramic pie dish.
- If using fresh roasted almonds, once they are cooled whiz them in a food processor with the sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour. If using almond meal skip this step and mix your almond meal and sugar in a bowl.
- Sift your flour and baking powder with a pinch of salt into the bowl with your nut mixture and then whisk them together.
- Beat the eggs until just frothy, then whisk in the buttermilk, vanilla and chilled butter.
- Pour your wet mixture into your dry mixture and stir until combined and then pour into your dish.
- Now, onto your pears (or plums or peaches or apples…). If you are using pears, peel them, core them and cut into 5mm thick slices. You then want to arrange them on top of your mixture in the dish, it can be a circular pattern or a little more freehand. You can put them straight on top or create fans with the pieces and then place them on top. Be creative.
- Sprinkle sugar on top and then bake for 35-40 minutes. It will start to turn golden and puff a little. Remove from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
- Serve with crème fraiche.
Recipe by Victoria Somerville of Tilba Cooks