Peppernut Pear Tart

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

You will need a 10in tart tin, preferably 1 1/2in deep, with a
removable base; some baking parchment; dried baking beans.  Preheat the
oevn to gas mark 5, 375øF, 190øC.  Put the flour, salt, sugar in the
processor and whiz for a few  seconds. Chop the butter roughly with a
knife, add to the flour, and  process for about 15 seconds until you
have a rough, crumb-like  mixture. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk
and water together and  then add to the flour and butter.  Whiz for
about 30 seconds or until  the pastry dough has left the sides of the
bowl and is clinging in a  solid mass around the central spindle.  Take
out the pastry and  lightly mould with your hands into a flattish
round, so that later it  will roll out more easily to the shape of the
tart tin.  Wrap it in  clingfilm and put in the fridge to rest for
about 30    minutes or  overnight.  Take a scrap of butter and
thoroughly grease the tart tin, paying  special attention to the area
where the base and sides meet. Roll out  your pastry to the thickness
of a chamois leather (you will have some  surplus). Line the tart tin,
making sure you do not strtch the  pastry, by starting in the middle of
the tin and draping the pastry  gently and easily outwards towards the
corners and then up the sides.  Prick the base all over with a fork and
put the tin back into the  fridge for another 30 minutes.  Meanwhile,
cut a piece of baking parchment to fit inside the pastry  crust. Remove
the pastry lined tin from the fridge, line with the  baking parchment
and sprinkle some beans over the bottom. Place in  the preheated oven
and bake for 15 minutes until the pastry has 'set'  and is light
golden. Remove from the oven, take out the parchment and  beans, and
return pastry crust to the oven for a further 3 minutes to  colour the
bottom. Then remove again and leave to cool, still in the  tin.  Put
the biscuits in a food processor and whiz until coarse crumbs.  Empty
and combine the crumbs and ground hazelnuts in a bowl. Now put  the
butter and sugar in the food processor and cream together until  smooth
and fluffy. Beat the eggs in a small bowl until well mixed. To  prevent
the 'frangipane' curdling, first add about a third of the nut  and
crumb mixture to the creamed butter in the food processor and  whiz for
a few seconds until incorporated.  Carry on with the nut and  crumbs,
then egg, until everything is mixed in but do not over  process.
Finally, add the ginger wine or other liqueur.  Peel the pears and cut
them in half lengthways.  Core, but leave the  stalks on.  Then make
lengthways cuts down the pears, as if to fan,  leaving the base intact.
Now spoon in the frangipane mixture to cover  the pastry case and place
the pears on top with the stalks pointing  towards the middle. Bake for
25 minutes at gas mark 3, 325øF, 170øC  until golden brown and the
mixture only just set - it's better if the  mixture is still a little
soft in the centre as it add a creamy  texture to the finished tart.
This is better eaten just warm rather  than piping hot. Serve either
plain or with a good dollop of crme  frache.

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 402
Calories From Fat: 182
Total Fat: 20.7g
Cholesterol: 50.8mg
Sodium: 652.4mg
Potassium: 243.3mg
Carbohydrates: 53.7g
Fiber: 5.8g
Sugar: 15g
Protein: 4.2g