A slightly different take on a traditional tarte tatin
Ingredients - Serves: 6
Preparation time: 1 hour 20 minutes
125g caster sugar
40g cold butter, chopped
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 large pears, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
375g all-butter puff pastry
Double cream, to serve
Method
Preheat oven to 200 °C/gas 6. Put a 21cm diameter frying pan with an ovenproof handle (this bit is important!) on a hob over a medium heat.
Add the sugar to the dry pan and heat, stirring constantly until it turns a lovely caramel colour. Add the butter, ginger and cinnamon and stir well to combine.
Place the pears in the caramel and spoon over the mixture. Turn the heat down and cook for 5–10 minutes until the pears are just tender and cooked but retain their shape.
Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Arrange the pears to form an attractive pattern in the pan.
Roll out the pastry to about 5mm thick and cut a disc slightly bigger than your pan (about 24cm). Place the pastry disc on top of the pears and caramel, then carefully tuck it snugly around the outside of the pears and down into the sides of the pan.
Bake the pie in the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed up.
Remove from the oven and leave for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, place a large plate over the top and carefully turn the tarte onto the plate. Serve with cream.