Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 2oz ready-made puff pastry
• rolled out to 5mm/¼in thick
• 3 small pears
• peeled and halved
• 1 lemon
• zest and juice only
• 50g/2oz caster sugar
• 6 tbsp apricot jam
• 1 vanilla pod
• split
• seeds scraped out
• 300ml/½ pint whole milk
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 75g/3oz caster sugar
• 20g/¾oz cornflour
• 3 tbsp sweet pear liqueur
• such as Poire William
• 300ml/11fl oz double cream
• 6 fresh mint sprigs

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• For the tarts
• cut out the puff pastry to fit six 10cm/4in tart cases. Line the cases with the puff pastry and place into the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
• Prick the base of the pastry in each tart case with a knife
• then line with baking paper and baking beans or rice and place onto a baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake blind for 15 minutes.
• Remove the baking paper and baking beans from the tart cases and return the tarts to the oven to bake for a further 5-8 minutes
• until cooked through and golden. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile
• place the pears
• lemon zest and juice and sugar into a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil
• then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes
• or until the pears are cooked and tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• For the cream
• place the vanilla seeds and milk into a pan and bring to the boil.
• Meanwhile
• place the egg yolks
• sugar and cornflower into a bowl and mix well.
• Once the milk is boiling
• pour onto the egg mixture and whisk vigorously. Pour the custard mixture back into the pan and bring back to the boil
• stirring constantly.
• Once the mixture has reached boiling point
• take the pan off the heat and allow to cool.
• Meanwhile
• pour the pear liqueur into the cream and whip until soft peaks are formed when the whisk is removed.
• Fold the cream mixture into the custard gently
• so as not to lose too much volume.
• Place the apricot jam into a saucepan with a teaspoon of water and warm through.
• Fill the cooled pastry cases with the pear liqueur cream.
• Place a poached pear half onto a board and cut into slices. Fan the pear slices slightly and gently place onto the cream.
• Pour the warm apricot sauce over the pears.
• To serve
• place each tart onto a dessert plate and garnish with a sprig of mint.