Almond-scented Pear And Cinnamon Tart

ALMOND SCENTED FILLING
115 g Butter
115 g Caster sugar
70 g Almonds; ground
30 g Almonds; flaked
Few drops of vanilla essence
1 lg Egg; beaten
45 g Flour
5 Pears; peeled, cored and
; quartered
1 ts Cinnamon

TO SERVE
30 g Icing sugar
1/2 ts Cinnamon

Sieve the flour into a bowl and add the sugar, salt and softened
butter. Cut through, then rub in until it almost becomes sticky. Add
the egg yolk and, if needed, a little water to bind together to form
a small ball of dough. Set aside to relax in a cool place for at
least 15 minutes. Roll out to fit a 22cm loose bottomed flan dish.
Trim off any excess pastry, prick with a fork, then set aside to
relax again before filling.

Preheat oven to 190C/375F/gas 5. Cream the butter and sugar together,
add the ground and flaked almonds, vanilla, egg and flour. Spread
evenly over the pastry base, arrange the pears and dust with
cinnamon. If the pears you are using are very firm it would be
advisable to poach them lightly before using.

To do this simply cover them with water, add 30g caster sugar and heat
gently for several minutes. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until
firm, golden and well cooked. Dust with icing sugar and cinnamon
before serving with Chantilly cream.