Pear and frangipane tart delight. (Baking)

Member Name: BabyGirl08x

Product:	Baking
Date:	13/03/09 (55 review reads)
Rating:

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I am a big fan of booking.. baking things from scratch in particular. One recipe my mama used to bake regularly was a "pear and frangipane" tart. Its one of those recipes that just makes you feel like home.. Just coz your mama baked it :)

Let's start by making the pastry

Ingredients:
100g flour
50g Margarine
10g Caster Sugar
Several ml of water in a cup

*Health advice: Personally, I would substitute the flour in this dish for Wholemeal flour to contribute to your daily NSP intake which helps prevent constipation and long term bowel damage in the future. Also, I would use the lowest salt margarine to reduce your daily salt intake and prevent heart disease and high blood pressure.

Let's do it:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200 C, Gas Mark 6.
2. break up margarine into several pieces and sieve the flour into a bowl.
3. Using the tip of your fingers (avoiding using your palms) rub the butter and flour together by rolling your thumb across your other four fingers from your end finger (pinkie) to first until the mixture resembles fine breadcumbs
4. Stir in the sugar
5. By sprinkling just a spoonful of water (you would be surprised by how little you need) roll the mixture together with a knife and keep adding spoonfuls until you have made a stiff dough (avoid making a sticky goo)
6. Flour your working surface, rolling pins and hands, and roll your pasty out.. After each roll shape it into a circle. Roll the pasty by rolling back and forth, shaping it, turning it around onto the other side to repeat the motion.
7. Get a "sweet dish" flan ring and place the pasty inside and flatten it against the sides.. Trying not to stretch it. Trip all the extra from the top until the top is smooth.
8. Scrunch up tin foil to resemble the shape of the flan and place it inside. Now place some pasta inside to weigh it down.
9. Bake for 10 minutes.
10. After 10 minutes remove the tin foil, pasta, and flan ring and leave until you have made the filling.





Now lets make the frangipane

Ingredients:
50g Soft Bled Margarine.
50g Caster Sugar
50g Ground almonds
1 egg
15g self raising flour
3 tinned pears
1 tsp. Apricot jam
1 tsp. Lemon juice

* Health advice: You are welcome to reduce the amount of sugar as the lemon juice will provide the taste. Use tinned pears in juice rather than syrup. Use the healthiest alternatives possible to the ingredients above to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

1. Place the self blend margarine and sugar into a bowl and cream together by taking the back of a wooden spoon and pressing against the margarine/sugar until it resembles ice cream or something fluffy.
2. Add the almonds and ground well.
3. Add beaten egg to the mixture a little bit at a time and mix well.
4. Sieve in the flour and mix well.
5. Once done add the lemon juice and place inside the flan pastry.
6. Place the three pears down on a chopping board.
7. Carefully slit the ends (shortest ends) of the bends but only slit no more than half way up. Don't make the slits to thick/thin.
8. Now place the pears in the middle of the mixture flat side down, thin side to the middle until the are places in a circular motion.
10. Turn the temperature down to 170C Gas Mark 3.. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
11. Once ready paint the pears with the apricot jam.

Garnishing:
Sprinkle some icing sugar or nuts to garnish.

I really enjoy this as the plan is crispy then suddenly you bite into a soft sponge and then bite into a juicy pear. Perfect combination with a sweet/nutty/spongy taste with the perfect texture combinations. This is a favourite, a favourite I must say. I hope you'll enjoy it too.

Summary: Explained for time bakers.