Sweet pear puff

 

Ingredients

• 125g (4oz) puff pastry
• 4 level tsp ground almonds
• 1 ripe pear
• 2tbsp Amaretto, or Marsala, or apple juice
• 2tsp clear runny honey
• 1 rounded tbsp smooth apricot jam
• A little icing sugar, for dusting
• A little ready-made chocolate sauce and crème fraîche, to serve

Equipment:

• 7.5cm (3in) heart-shaped cutter
• Baking sheet

Method

1. Set the oven to gas mark 6 or 200°C. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a strip about 10 x 35.5cm (4 x 14in), long enough to fit 4 heart shapes snugly. Cut out the shapes with the cutter. Put them on a baking sheet.
2. Mark a narrow border a little way in from the edge of each heart. Sprinkle the ground almonds inside the border.
3. Peel, halve and core the pear and slice it thinly. Put the Amaretto, Marsala or apple juice into a small bowl. Dip pear slices into the liquid, then arrange them inside the border of each pastry heart, cutting them to fit. You may not need all the pear. Spoon the rest of wine, liqueur or juice over the fruit, then drizzle honey over.
4. Bake for 20-25 mins until the pastry is risen and golden.
5. Warm the apricot jam, then rush it over the hot tarts to glaze.
6. To serve, dust 2 large plates with sifted icing sugar, swizzle a little chocolate sauce over, then place the warm tarts on top. Serve with crème fraîche.