Pear Tarte Tatin with Peach Schnapps

In a twist on the French classic, luscious
pears combine with irresistible caramel

Ingredients:

For the pastry
225g (8oz) plain white flour
75g (21⁄2oz) caster sugar
pinch of ground cinnamon
110g (4oz) butter, cut into
rough cubes

For the pears
150g (51⁄2oz) butter
200g (7oz) caster sugar
8 ripe pears
pinch of ground cinnamon
dash of pear schnapps
200ml (7fl oz) double cream,
whipped until firm, to serve

Method:

1 Using your hands, mix together the sifted flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter; do not overwork. Add 1–2 tbsp water, a very little at a time, until the pastry just comes together into a dough and form into a ball. Flatten slightly into a disc, wrap in cling film and leave to chill for 30 minutes.

2 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°C/Gas 4).

3 To make the caramel, smear the butter over the bottom of a tarte tatin pan or ovenproof cast-iron frying pan. Sprinkle over the caster sugar and dissolve over a medium heat until the sugar starts to caramelize. Keep turning the pan now and again, so that the sugar does not catch. Stir until the butter just starts to separate and the sugar has started to turn a light golden toffee colour.

4 Meanwhile, peel, core and cut the pears into quarters. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the pears to the butter and sugar mixture in the pan, arranging them in a layer over the bottom of the pan and packing them in tightly. Return to the heat and cook for 10–15 minutes until really golden. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and add a few drops of pear schnapps. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

5 On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry into a round large enough to cover the pan. Carefully lay the pastry on top of the pears, tucking the edges down in between the fruit and the edge
of the pan. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Leave the tart to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a serving plate.

6 To serve, cut into slices while still warm and serve with a generous
dollop of whipped cream.

Prep time 25 minutes
Cooking time 40 minutes
Difficulty Easy–medium