Pear Almond Tart

• 2 sheets Pampas Butter Puff Pastry, defrosted
• 2 Beurré Bosc pear (brown pears) - ripe, but still firm
• 2 tbsp flaked almonds, lightly toasted
• 3 tbsp CSR Golden Syrup, warmed
• 2 large eggs

Almond Frangipane Filling:

• ½ cup CSR Pure Icing Sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla bean extract or essence
• 70g butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 tsp White Wings Cornflour, sifted
• 1¼ cups almond meal

To Serve:

• Whipped cream or ice cream

1. Preheat oven to 190°C and lightly grease a 24cm loose bottom flan tin.
2. Place 1 sheet of pastry, onto a sheet of baking paper, on a large board.
3. Using a small sharp knife and the loose flan tin base as a template, cut a 24cm circle from the first sheet of puff pastry (you should be able to cut through the paper at the same time you cut the pastry). Leave the pastry on the baking paper circle, placing them paper side down to line the bottom of the flan case.
4. Beat one of the eggs, and brush over the flan base.
5. Cut 3 x 3cm wide ribbons of pastry from the remaining sheet of pastry, keeping any off cuts to use later. Form a flat border or edge by placing the pastry ribbons flat, round the outside edge of the pastry circle. Overlap slightly where they join each other. Then refrigerate the base for about 15 min while you prepare the filling.
6. for the almond frangipane filling
7. In a large bowl, add the sifted CSR Pure Icing Sugar, cornflour, melted butter, almond meal, vanilla, and an egg. Beat until smooth.
8. Remove the pear cores and cut the pears into 24 x 1cm thick wedges.
9. Remove the pastry case from the fridge and brush again with the beaten egg.
10. Spread the almond frangipane around the pastry case, leaving the borders clear and arrange the pear wedges onto the filling. Brush the pears lightly with warmed CSR Golden Syrup.
11. Bake for 20 min or until just turning colour, brush the pears again with CSR Golden Syrup. Bake for another 15-20 min or until the tart is golden brown, well risen and the frangipane filling is cooked through. If the tart browns a little too fast, cover with baking paper to slow down the cooking.
12. Remove from the oven and brush all over with extra warm CSR Golden Syrup.
13. Scatter with toasted flaked almonds and serve, slightly warm with whipped cream or ice-cream.