Honey Spiced Pear Tarte Tatin

From issue #5.
Photography by Photography by Becky Nunes.
Honey Spiced Pear Tarte Tatin

Serves: 8-10

INGREDIENTS

225 mls runny honey
10 firm pears, peeled and quartered
¼ teaspoon each ground cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and nutmeg
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
zest of 1 lemon
50 grams butter
250 grams butter puff pastry
caster sugar for sprinkling
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoon calvados or marsala

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200ºC.

Heat a large non-stick 30cm ovenproof pan and add the honey. Allow it to caramelise to a golden colour then add the pears. Cook, turning frequently, until the pears are brown all over and have begun to soften. A lot of juice will initially run from the pears. By the time the pears are cooked this should have reduced to a thick syrup.

Add the spices, ginger, lemon zest and the butter and mix through. Allow the pears to cool in the pan.
Roll out the pastry and cut into a rough circle. Lay it over the pears, tucking it down the sides of the pan.
Sprinkle over a little sugar and bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden and cooked.

Meanwhile, combine the raisins with the calvados or marsala in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Once cooked, rest the tarte for a few minutes before turning it out
on to a plate. Rearrange the pears if necessary and spoon over the raisins and calvados.

Serve warm with softly whipped cream. Serves 8-10