GET IT RIGHT PEAR TARTE TATIN

This classic French dessert reaches perfection with beautifully ripe British pears

- ADAM BUSH

Making a classic tarte tatin may be the ultimate pudding showstopper, but combine it with ripe British pears and you’re reaching perfection. Flip the tarte over and you’ll have a dark caramel sauce, crispy pastry and meltingly soft pears. Follow these simple steps to make our supreme version of the dessert. Remember, ice cream on the side is non-negotiable.

steps to success...

THE TYPE OF FRUIT

The right variety of pear and ripeness is important when making a tart tatin, as something like a Conference pear or an under-ripe fruit will be too crunchy and will not soften when cooked. Too ripe, and you risk the pears collapsing and becoming a purée when baked.

PREPARING THE PEAR

Trimming the edges off the pear wedges before cooking helps to prevent any mushiness when cooked. If left on, those edges are likely to collapse under the fierce heat of the caramel. To get perfectly cooked pieces of fruit, be sure to add them to the caramel and cook and turn for a few minutes until they begin to soften slightly first – they’ll start to take on the caramel flavour and be perfectly cooked by the time it comes to flip.