Ingredients

Sweet Pastry

• 500g plain flour
• 250g unsalted butter
• 125g caster sugar
• 1 large egg

• All ingredients should be at room temperature.
• For convenience you may use a commercial premade sweet pastry

Frangipane Cream

• 150g unsalted butter
• 150g caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 150g ground almonds
• 50g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Figs

• 2 pears, peeled, decored and halved

Glaze

• 2 tbsp apricot or seedless raspberry jam

Method

1. Sweet Pastry Method 1 (Creaming): Place the butter and sugar in mixing bowl and beat them together until they are light and fluffy.
2. On a low speed slowly add the egg to the butter mixture and mix it until combined.
3. Add the flour slowly at a low speed until combined then mix it briefly at a higher speed so that it forms a dough.
4. Place the pastry in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to rest.

1. Sweet Pastry Method 2 (Rub in): Place the flour in a bowl or on a clean work top and rub in the butter until you have a bread crumb consistency. Make a well in the centre of the flour.
2. Mix the egg and sugar together in a bowl until well combined. Pour the mixture into the well in the flour.
3. Mix the egg mixture into the flour to form a dough.
4. Place the pastry in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to rest.

1. Frangipane Cream: Place the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl and mix them together until they are creamy and light.
2. On a low speed mix the eggs in 1 at a time until well combined.
3. Sift the flour and ground almonds together. Slowly add the almond and flour mixture to the butter mixture while the motor is running. Mix the ingredients together until you have a creamy mixture. Set the frangipane cream aside until ready to use. *You may wish to make the frangipane cream while you are blind baking the pastry.

1. To Cook: Remove the pastry from the fridge 10 minutes before you need it. Roll it out on a well floured surface until it is around .5-.75mm thick. Lightly grease a 20-30cm tart tin. Line the tart tin with the pastry. Place the lined tin in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Blind bake the pastry for 10 minutes until just firm and without colour. Remove the pastry from the oven an allow it to cool.
3. Reduce the temperature to 180°C. Place the frangipane cream in the tart tin and spread it out evenly with a palate knife (do not over fill it as it will deepen with the figs and rise).
4. Place the pear halves in the frangipane cut side down and stem end towards the centre, place them so that they are evenly separated over the tart.
5. Place the tart in the preheated oven and cook it for 30-40 minutes. The frangipane cream will be golden brown, risen and firm when the tart is ready.
6. Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the tart carefully from the tin.
7. Place the apricot or raspberry jam in a small saucepan and place it over a moderate heat. Heat it while stirring until it has melted. Remove it form the heat and brush it over the tart lightly with a pastry brush.
8. Allow the tart to cool then refrigerate it until ready to serve (the tart can be prepared up to a day in advance).
9. To Serve: Serve slices of the tart at room temperature with a scoop of ice- cream or thick double cream or clotted cream (see our recipe for vanilla ice-cream).

• Left over pastry can be frozen for future use.