Pear Almondine au Raymond Blanc

Yes, It Does Use Tinned Pears!

Ingredients

• 6 Pear halves, tin or jar
• 100g unsalted butter, plus some for greasing
• 100g Caster Sugar
• 100g Ground almonds
• 1 tsp Cornflour
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 medium egg
• 2 Tbsp Flaked Almonds
• Icing Sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
2. Grease a tart ring roughly 18cm x 2cm.
3. Cut a strip of greaseproof paper to stick around inside of rim.
4. Place the tart ring on a greaseproof lined baking tray
5. Drain the pears, retain the syrup.
6. Mix the butter and sugar to a cream, add the ground almonds, cornflour, vanilla and egg.
7. Stir well then spoon into the prepared tin and smooth out.
8. Arrange the pear halves with tops pointing towards the centre.
9. Scatter with the flaked almonds, and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
10. Watch carefully to ensure the almonds do not burn.
11. Use the retained juice from the pears to make a glaze.
12. Reduce until thickened in a saucepan and brush over the pears when cooled.
13. Leave the cake to cool completely before removing it from the ring.
14. Dust with icing sugar to serve.