Pear Tarte Tatin with Star Anise u0026amp; Cardamom
A tarte tatin is classy – simple, not fussed with intricacy yet still beautiful in its simplicity. I’ve come to admire this classic dessert. It requires only a few simple ingredients – fruit, pastry, sugar and butter. I’ve opted for autumn’s favourite fruit, pears; its delicate sweetness a beautiful match for star anise and cardamom; […]
Ingredients
- 100g sugar
- 1 star anise
- 3 cardamom pods, bruised
- 250g puff pastry
- 50g butter
- 3 pears (550g after peeling and coring), sliced 1-2mm thick
Directions
- 1
In a medium skillet or oven-proof pan, stir sugar, star anise, cardamom and and ¼ cup water together. Set over a medium heat and bring to a bubble. Once bubbling, leave to cook until it turns a golden brown. Resist the urge to stir - you can gently swirl the pan if the caramel looks darker in places.
- 2
When the syrup is golden brown, add butter and allow to melt. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine, and cook for a further 3 minutes.
- 3
Add pear slices, stir with a wooden spoon and cook for 15 minutes, swirling occasionally, until soft. Remove from the heat, then transfer pears to a bowl and allow to cool slightly. Discard star anise and cardamom.
- 4
When cool enough to handle, arrange pears back into the bottom of your pan, forming a fan pattern.
- 5
Preheat your oven to 180°C or 160°C fan bake.
- 6
On a clean surface, roll your pastry out to a circle roughly 3mm thick. Trim to cut out a circle to fit the base of your pan. Prick in several places with a fork.
- 7
Place the pastry disc over the pears in the pan. Tuck the edges of the pastry under - you want all of the pears to be tucked inside. Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
- 8
Allow to cool for 5 minutes before carefully inverting onto a serving platter. Serve hot.