Name: Pear and frangipane tart
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 250 gm butter, softened; 250 gm caster sugar; ½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped; 4 eggs; 310 gm finely ground almonds; To serve: maple syrup and vanilla ice-cream; Poached pears; 375 ml dessert wine; 250 gm caster sugar; 3 star anise; 2 cinnamon quills; 2 thin peelings of orange rind; Scraped seeds of one vanilla bean; Pinch of saffron threads; 4 ripe pears, such as Packham

“Could you please ask the chef at Annie Smithers Bistrot for the pear and frangipane tart recipe?”

Bevan Bowell, Bendigo, Vic

REQUEST A RECIPE

To request a recipe, email [email protected] or send us a message via Facebook. Please include the restaurant’s name and address, as well as your name and address. Please note that because of the volume of requests we receive, we can only publish a selection in the magazine.

Ingredients

250 gm butter, softened

250 gm caster sugar

½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

4 eggs

310 gm finely ground almonds

To serve: maple syrup and vanilla ice-cream

Poached pears

375 ml dessert wine

250 gm caster sugar

3 star anise

2 cinnamon quills

2 thin peelings of orange rind

Scraped seeds of one vanilla bean

Pinch of saffron threads

4 ripe pears, such as Packham

Method

Main

1.For poached pears, combine wine, sugar, star anise, cinnamon, orange peel, vanilla seeds, saffron and 1 litre water. Bring to the simmer, then reduce heat. Peel pears, then remove the base of each pear with a melon baller (see note). Using a smaller melon baller, remove the core through the first hole that was made. Add pears to saucepan, cover with paper, weight with a plate and poach until tender (50 minutes-1 hour). Cool in syrup. Before serving, cut pears in half.

2.Preheat oven to 170C. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl, until batter is light and fluffy (1-2 minutes). Then fold in ground almonds and spread into a 20cm x 30cm cake tin lined with baking paper and arrange poached pears, cut-side up, on top (don’t push pears into mixture). Bake until golden brown and tart springs back when lightly touched (35-45 minutes). Cool in the tin, remove and cut into eight pieces. Serve with maple syrup and vanilla ice-cream.