Tarte bordaloue (pear and almond tart)

Method

1. First poach the pears the day before you wish to make the tart. Place the caster sugar and water in a large saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved making a syrup.

2. Peel the pears, leaving them whole, and add them to the simmering syrup. Poach the pears for 10 minutes. Set the pears aside to cool in the syrup. Once cool chill the pears, still in the syrup, overnight in the refrigerator.

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4.

4. In a mixing bowl mix together the ground almonds and caster sugar. Add the butter and cream together until thoroughly mixed.

5. Beat in the eggs one by one and mix in the rum.

6. Fill the pastry case with the almond cream.

7. Halve the poached pears, keeping the stem intact, and slice across.

8. Layer the pear slices across the almond cream.

9. Bake the tart for 30-40 minutes until the filling is set and the pastry pale gold.

10. Gently heat the apricot jam in a small pan. Brush the freshly baked pear tart with warm apricot jam to glaze it.

11. Serve the warm pear tart with cream, caramel sauce or vanilla ice cream.