Individual Pear Tarts with butterscotch sauce

Pears are great eating right now as long as you can be patient with letting them ripen for a week or so after buying them. Pears only ripen off the tree.

Serves 4-8

400g flaky pastry

4 large ripe, but not too soft, pears, peeled, halved and cored

Milk or egg wash

Butterscotch sauce

50g butter

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup cream

½ tsp sea salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven 200 C. Line a tray with baking paper.
2. Place pears flat side down on the tray. Roll out the pastry to 2mm thick and divide into squares big enough to cover each pear half. Press and mould the pastry around each pear and cut away excess pastry, around the pear shape. Make 2 or 3 slits on the top of the pastry. Brush each with a little milk or egg wash and bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden.
3. Whilst pears cook make the sauce: Melt the butter with sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Remove lid and pour in cream (it may spit so take care) and stir until combined and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in salt and vanilla extract. Allow to cool.
4. Serve 1-2 pears halves per person, drizzled with sauce and a dollop of crème fraiche. 

LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE 

Nici’s note:

When making sugar syrups or caramels if you cover with a lid it a. stops you from being tempted to stir it and b. condensation forms and runs down the sides of the saucepan. Both prevent the sugar from crystalising. Success!