Tarte Bourdaloue

This is a French pear and almond tart which was first created by a pastry chef of the Rue Bourdaloue in Paris

Ingredients

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For the Pastry

• 200g plain flour
• 100g unsalted butter
• 50g caster sugar
• 1 egg

For the Stock Syrup

• 500ml water
• 150g caster sugar
• The juice of 1 lemon
• 2 pears, peeled and cored, but left whole

For the Almond Cream

• 100g unsalted butter
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g ground almonds
• 1 egg, beaten
• 10g flour
• 1tsp almond extract

To finish

• 50g Hot apricot jam (sieved)

Method

For the Pastry

1. Rub the butter into the flour to form breadcrumbs’.
2. Mix the egg and sugar together in a separate bowl and add to the flour and butter.
3. Mix to form a dough, wrap in foil or cling film, then refrigerate.

For the stock Syrup

1. Bring the sugar and water to the boil in a saucepan.
2. Add the lemon juice and place the pears into the stock, cover with greaseproof paper (make a cartouche) and simmer until tender.
3. Cool the pears, cut in half (from top to bottom) and fan them with a knife. You can cut them in half again to make 8 pieces (which is what I did), but I found it easier to put 6 fans on the tart and just eat the 2 that were left over. 8 pieces can be rather fiddly!

For the Almond Cream

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
2. Gradually add the egg, the mix in the flour, ground almonds and almond extract.

To assemble

1. Roll out the pastry and line a greased flan tin with it [use a 20cm (8in) or 23cm (9in) tin] depends on the length of your pears, as they need to fit from the edge of the pastry case to the centre of the tart.
2. Carefully spread the almond cream into the pastry case, and then place pears on top and lightly press them down.
3. Bake at 180C / Gas 4 until golden brown.
4. Allow to cool slightly, and then glaze with hot apricot jam.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot with Crème Anglaise

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