Ingredients

• 400ml/14fl oz Cabernet Sauvignon red wine
• 1 whole cinnamon stick
• 1g ground nutmeg
• 1 clove
• 2g ground allspice
• 100g/3½oz caster sugar
• 1 orange
• peeled and halved
• 3 ripe pears (Bosc or Conference pears)
• peeled
• cored and halved
• 250g/9oz plain flour
• 50g/1¾oz icing sugar
• 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
• diced
• 1 large free-range egg yolk
• 1 tbsp ice-cold water
• 175g/6oz unsalted butter
• softened
• 175g/6oz caster sugar
• 3 large free-range eggs
• 175g/6oz ground almonds
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 25g/1oz ground almonds
• 50g/1¾oz blanched sliced almonds
• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• sieved
• 100g/3½oz icing sugar
• 2 tsp lemon juice

Directions

• For the pears
• add the red wine
• spices
• caster sugar and orange to a saucepan and warm gently. Place the pears in the saucepan and bring to the boil
• reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes
• or until the pears are tender.
• Remove the pears and pat dry using kitchen paper. To decorate the pears (optional)
• place the halves cut-side down and use a sharp knife to make 5-6 cuts widthways
• about 1cm/½in deep and 5mm wide. Leave to cool.
• For the sweet pastry
• add the flour
• icing sugar and butter to a blender. Blend until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse briefly. Pour in just enough ice cold water to bring the mixture together as a ball in the blender. Remove and place onto a lightly floured surface. Knead just enough to form a ball
• wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and set aside a small piece of the dough. On a lightly floured work surface
• roll out the remaining dough to a circle and line a 23cm/9in flan tin. Use the reserved dough to push the dough into the fluted sides. Prick the base with a fork and leave in the fridge for 15 minutes.
• For the frangipane
• beat the butter and sugar using a an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time then beat in the ground almonds and essence.
• Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Line the pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes
• then remove the baking beans and baking paper and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes
• or until the pastry is dry.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• For the topping
• sprinkle a handful of ground almonds on the base of the pastry case. Spoon the frangipane into the pastry case. Add the pears
• cut-side down in a star pattern. Press them gently into the frangipane and sprinkle the sliced almonds between the pears.
• Bake for 45 minutes
• or until the crust is golden-brown and the frangipane firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and brush all over with the apricot jam.
• For the icing
• mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice until you have a smooth paste that drizzles from a spoon. Add a little water if the icing is too thick.
• Cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes before removing the tart casing. When cool
• drizzle the icing all over and serve warm or cold.