The other Saturday night I felt like dessert. What to have, what to have? A quick look through the pantry, the fridge, the freezer and ‘Jamie Oliver’s Comfort Food’ and, ‘ding ding ding!’ we have a winner! His Tutti Fruitti Pear Tarte Tatin. All I needed was 3 pears and dessert was sorted.
And let me tell you, it was damn good. The flavours were perfection. I love it how Jamie takes a dish, makes it well, then with just some other simple additions, creates new layers of complexity and deliciousness, and this dish was no exception. The orange peel, vanilla and bay leaf together with the pear are brilliant. Actually is a little ‘Tutti Fruitti’.
Make this immediately.
Tutti Fruitti Pear Tarte Tatin
Author: Eatin Mess
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 2 sheets of puff pastry
- ⅔ cup caster sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 vanilla pod
- 3 pears
- Peel of 1 orange
- Amaretto
- ½ cup toasted, flaked almonds
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Peel the pears, then cut some into halves and some into quarters, removing the stalks and any woody bits from the core. In a shallow bowl, drizzle them with the amaretto and leave aside.
- Place a 10 inch, non-stick, ovenproof frying pan on a medium-low heat, then sprinkle the sugar evenly over the base of the pan. Once dissolved and lightly golden, dot in the butter and carefully melt everything together without string by gently swirl the pan to combine. Let it melt for 5 minutes, and when it’s a dark golden colour, halve the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds, then add both bean and seeds to the pan along with the bay leaves and orange peel. Position the pears in the pan in a single layer over the caramel, being careful not to move it too much. Sprinkle over the sliced almonds, then turn up to medium-high and cook for 5 to 6 minutes to soften the pears. You want the juices to cook away so you’re left with a thick caramel.
- Place two sheets of pastry on top of each other. Cut to just a bit bigger than the base of the fry pan. Carefully place over the pears, tucking in all the excess around them and under the edges. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed up and golden and the edges are dark and caramelised.
- When the time’s up, carefully remove from the oven. Remember the handle will be hot too! (I failed to remember this and burnt myself. Twice!) Place a large platter over the pan and using a couple of tea towels to protect your hands, confidently but carefully and quickly flip it over. If you let it cool down too much in the pan, it’s more likely to stick, so it’s best to get it out while it’s hot. Drizzle any juices that escape back over the fruit, and serve with a drizzle of triple cream.
Yum! So so so so so good.
