Baking

Poached pear and polenta tart

POACHED PEAR AND POLENTA TART
10
1H 30M

Ingredients

Poached pears
Custard

Method

1.Make poached pears. Peel and core pears, cut into eight wedges. Place remaining ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to the boil. Add pears, simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until almost tender. Cool in liquid. Drain pears, reserve liquid. Discard thyme and rind. Return reserved liquid to pan, simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly.
2.Meanwhile, process flour, polenta, sugar and butter until crumbly. Add egg, process until ingredients come together. Turn dough onto floured surface, knead gently until smooth. Shape pastry into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 45 minutes.
3.Grease 24cm (9½-inch) loose-based flan tin. Roll pastry between sheets of baking paper until large enough to line tin and about 4mm (¼-inch) thick. Ease pastry into tin, press into base and side, trim edge, reserve trimmings. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Roll reserved trimmings between sheets of baking paper into a 30cm (12-inch) square, place on oven tray, refrigerate.
4.Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced).
5.Make custard filling. Whisk ingredients in a large jug until combined.
6.Place pears in pastry case. Carefully pour in custard filling. Use a pastry cutter or knife to cut 1.5cm (¾-inch) wide strips from remaining pastry. Weave pastry strips to form a lattice on top of tart. Press ends on edge of flan tin to seal, trim edge. Sprinkle top with nuts. Place tart on an oven tray.
7.Bake tart about 45 minutes or until golden. Stand 15 minutes. Dust with sifted icing sugar, serve with syrup.

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