FOR THE PASTRY
240 g Plain flour
200 g Unsalted butter; diced and
-cold
125 g Sour cream
For the filling;
14 Beurre Bosc; (brown cooking)
; pears
80 g Butter
150 g Castor sugar
2 tb Brown sugar
1 Lemon; juice of
Freshly ground nutmeg
Peel and core the pears and cut the fruit into halves.
Melt the butter in a large 28cm. non-stick and oven proof skillet and
sprinkle the sugar on top. Carefully place the pear halves on top of the
sugar, packing tightly as the fruit will shrink as it cooks. Sprinkle the
juice of the lemon and the brown sugar over the mixture and cook on medium
heat until the sugar caramelises and the syrup is deep golden brown – about
15 – 20 minutes. Allow to cool.
Meanwhile, make the pastry. Process the flour and butter in a food
processor (or rub in butter and flour with your finger tips) until the
mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then add the sour cream while the motor
is still running. Process until the mixture gathers together and reaches
the “ball” stage. Flatten the pastry into a disk and refrigerate until
required.
Roll out the pastry to fit the skillet with a 2cm. overhang, and lay the
pastry over the cool fruit mixture. Tuck the pastry edges down around the
fruit and sprinkle remaining sugar over the pastry. Bake at 220c., for 35
minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to stop
bubbling then invert over a large plate.
Serve warm or cold with cream or ice cream.
Yields
1 servings