Tamal Ray’s honey and pear tart recipe

It’s a strange thing to be writing a recipe for a possible future post-Brexit Britain. I suppose it’s a worthwhile exercise in thrift, to force myself to think only of locally produced ingredients, instead of what feels local to me now: market stalls with plantain and pomegranates alongside apples and plums.

Pears and honey are at the heart of this tart: ingredients that, I hope, will still be easy enough to come by. There is a lot of honey, but think of this as being in the same family as a treacle tart. Something sweet and comforting to savour in uncertain times.

Honey and pear tart

There’s no need to buy breadcrumbs for this; it’s easy enough to make them with stale bread and a blender. Or a bag, rolling pin and a strong arm.

Prep 50 min
Chill 30 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 10

For the pastry
225g spelt flour
110g unsalted butter, cold, plus extra for greasing
35g icing sugar
1 medium egg, beaten

For the filling
50g unsalted butter
400g set honey
¾ tsp salt
125g breadcrumbs
1 medium egg, beaten

For the pears
3 conference pears
1 knob butter, melted, for brushing
Icing sugar, to dust

Tip the flour, butter and icing sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Blitz to breadcrumbs, then gradually trickle in the egg, mixing as you go, until it starts to come together. If the mix seems dry and crumbly, add a little water. Tip out on to a lightly floured work surface, briefly knead to a smooth dough, pat into a flat disc and leave to rest in a covered bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Prepare the filling by melting the butter and honey in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the salt, breadcrumbs and beaten egg.

Grease a 23cm round tart tin with a little butter. Flour the worktop and a rolling pin, and roll out the chilled pastry to a 2-3mm-thick round. Roll the pastry around the rolling pin, then unroll over the tin. Press the pastry into the sides of the tin and trim any excess, leaving a little overhang. Chill the pastry again for 15 minutes in the freezer, then pour in the filling and smooth the surface.

Peel, halve and core the pears, and lay them across the top of the filling. Brush the pears with melted butter and dust with a little icing sugar. Bake at 190C (180C fan)/gas 6 for 40-45 minutes, until the filling is set and golden brown.

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