- 250g/9oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- ½ tsp salt
- 250g/9oz cold butter, cut into small cubes
- 125ml/4½fl oz ice-cold water
- 4 pears, peeled, cores removed, cut in half
- 110g/4oz caster sugar
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 2 vanilla pods, split, seeds scraped out (seeds only)
- 110g/4oz butter
- 150ml/5fl oz double cream
- 2 star anise
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 500ml/18fl oz vanilla ice cream, to serve
- For the rough puff pastry, place the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and use your hands to rub the butter into the flour.
- When the flour and butter mixture resembles breadcrumbs, add the cold water. Mix it in with a palette knife to keep the mixture cool. When the mixture comes together to form a dough, turn it out onto a clean, floured surface and knead briefly until just smooth.
- Form the dough into a rectangular block (this will make it easier to roll out later), wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Roll the chilled dough out onto a clean, floured surface into a rectangle about 40x20cm/16inx8in. Fold one-third of the dough into the centre, then fold the other third over that.
- Give the pastry a quarter turn and repeat step 4.
- Wrap the pastry block in cling film, refrigerate for 20 minutes then repeat steps 4 and 5.
- Wrap the pastry block in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.
- Meanwhile, for the pear tatin, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
- Place the pears, 25g/1oz of the sugar and all of the lemon zest and vanilla seeds into a saucepan. Fill the saucepan with enough water to just cover the pears. Heat the pears over a gentle heat until the mixture is simmering. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the pears are just tender. Drain the pears and pat dry.
- Heat the remaining 85g/3oz of sugar in a 24cm/9½in ovenproof frying pan over a low heat until is has caramelised. Add the butter, cream, star anise and cinnamon to the pan and heat gently until the mixture forms a smooth caramel. Discard the star anise.
- Place the pears into the caramel, cut-side up.
- Roll the chilled pastry out onto a floured surface to a 0.5cm/¼in thickness. Cut the pastry into a circle slightly larger than the frying pan.
- Place the pastry circle over the pears, tucking the edges of the pastry inside the pan to surround the pears.
- Transfer to the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is risen and golden-brown and cooked through. Once cooked, remove the pear tatin from the oven and set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- To serve, invert the tarte tatin onto a serving plate. Slice the tatin into wedges and place a slice onto each of 4 serving plates. Top each slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.