Serves 8-10
Pastry
90g cold butter diced
⅓ cup semolina
2 cups self-rising flour
⅓ cup caster sugar
150ml cold water
Caramel
60g butter
½ tsp vanilla
½ can condensed milk
1 generous Tbsp golden syrup
Frangipani cream
150g ground almonds
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
150g white sugar
150g unsalted butter
3 large eggs, room temperature
1½ tsp vanilla
2 pears (peel, halve and core)
3 Tbsp almond flakes
METHOD
Lightly grease and line a 30cm, loose-bottom flan tin.
Place sugar, semolina and flour in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and process until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the cold water quickly through the feed tube and process briefly just until combined.
Tip the pastry on to a lightly-floured surface and press into a ball.
Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
Roll the pastry 3mm thick and ease into the flan tin. Trim the sides to the level of the tin. Refrigerate or freeze it until almond cream and caramel is ready.
Heat the oven to 190degC.
Caramel
Place all the ingredients in a pot and melt on low heat. Mix well. Remove from heat and leave to cool before use.
Frangipani cream
Place the sugar, ground almond, flour, salt and baking powder in an electric mixer or food processor with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine.
Add the softened butter and combine/process the ingredients for about 25-30 seconds. Add the egg, vanilla extract and beat until you have a smooth creamy consistency. (You can do this in a large bowl by hand. The butter must be very soft, but not melted.)
Frangipani cream can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.
Assemble the tart
Place a baking sheet in the centre of a preheated oven (190degC).
Spread the caramel on the pastry crust then pour over the frangipani cream.
Peel, halve and core the pears and then slice each pear horizontally about 4mm-5mm thick. Place them over the frangipani cream on the pastry crust and sprinkle the almond flakes.
Place the tart pan on a hot baking sheet. Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes until top is nicely light brown colour.
Transfer to a cooling rack. When tarts are at room temperature remove from pan.
• Recipe provided by Noosh Eatery. Recipe requested by Sande Jones.
If you have enjoyed a dish in an Otago cafe or restaurant and would like the recipe, write to Ask a Chef, Features, Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, Dunedin, or email odt.features@odt.co.nz, including your name, address and a daytime telephone number, and we will request it.
