Deliciously spicy tarte tatin
As November approaches, we eagerly anticipate one of our favourite months. It is a time when nature puts on a spectacular display of vibrant colours, and the crisp, frosty mornings invigorate our senses.
If you are looking to satisfy a hungry crowd or craving a dessert that will warm you from the inside out, look no further than our feisty pear and peppercorn tarte tatin.
This delectable dish is the perfect combination of sweet and spicy, making it a unique and unforgettable treat. Feeds 4-6
Ingredients
- A large fistful of butter
- Plenty of white sugar
- 1 tsp of Szechuan peppercorns, crushed to a powder
- 2-3 handfuls of pears, peeled, cored and halved (or quartered if very large)
- I sheet of ready rolled puff pastry
- You will need an ovenproof frying pan.
Recipe
- Heat the oven to 200/180 fan.
- Cut out a large circle of pastry 2cm bigger than the size of an oven-proof frying pan.
- Squidge the cold butter evenly across the base of the pan and strew sugar liberally over the top so that it completely covers the butter.
- Sprinkle the crushed pepper evenly over the top. Carefully place the pears, pretty side down, in circles so the pieces are touching but not overlapping.
- Place on the hob and cook for 15-20 minutes until you see golden caramel bubbling up between the pears. Don’t peek, don’t stir, and definitely don’t be tempted to remove from the heat before optimum golden caramelisation has been achieved.
- Turn off the heat and place the pastry circle over the pears.
- Tuck it in all the way around, so that no fruit is showing. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, then remove and set aside for ten minutes to cool slightly.
- Now for the tricky bit. Place a large plate over the pastry and very, very carefully (remembering the caramel will be extremely hot) invert the tart onto the plate. The tart may be quite slippery, so take great care to avoid being splashed by the hot sauce.
- Serve with crème fraiche or Greek yoghurt.
