A deliciously sweet use for Fleur de Sel

You will need: (serves 6)

• 295g (1 1/3 cups) caster sugar
• 500ml (2 cups) pouring cream
• 1/4 teaspoon Fleur de Sel
• 375g packet Careme All Butter Puff Pastry (see note), thawed
• 6 firm but ripe Beurre Bosc pears
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 30g butter, plus extra, to grease
• 4 star anise
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Paste
• 1 teaspoon fine semolina
• Thickened cream, to serve

Method

Place 220g (1 cup) sugar in a heavy-based pan. Cook over low-medium heat until beginning to caramelise. Stir any remaining crystals until dissolved. Add cream and salt, then bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface until 3mm thick, then trim to a 26cm round. Refrigerate until needed.
Peel pears and quarter, leaving stalks intact. Cut out cores. Brush with juice.
Preheat oven to 220°C. Heat butter in a 26cm heavy-based ovenproof frying pan over high heat. Scatter and spread remaining 75g (1/3 cup) sugar, star anise and vanilla paste. While pan is on stove, quickly pack pears on their sides in pan with the stalks facing in, arranging them like the spokes of a wheel. Fill the centre with 3 pear quarters, simmer for 8 minutes or until liquid caramelises, then scatter over semolina.
Working quickly, place pastry over pears. Bake for 25 minutes or until pastry is deep golden, covering with baking paper for the last 10 minutes, if necessary. Stand tart for 20 minutes before inverting onto a plate.
Serve with Fleur de Sel caramel and cream.
Notes
Fleur de Sel is French hand-harvested sea salt. Careme is quality handmade all butter
pastry. For stockists, visit caremepastry.com. Substitute a block of frozen puff pastry from supermarkets.
Recipe & image: www.taste.com.au

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