- 500g/1lb 1½oz sweet shortcrust pastry
- 1 medium pineapple
- 45g/1-1½oz unsalted butter
- 100g/3½oz caster sugar
- 50ml/3½ tbsp dark rum
- 220g/8oz mascarpone cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 30g/1oz plain flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- icing sugar (optional)
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
- Roll the pastry out to line a 27cm/11in tart tin. Prick the base, then chill for at least half an hour.
- Blind bake the pastry for 12 minutes by lining the pastry with clingfilm and weighting with dried beans.
- Remove the beans and the cling film and bake for another eight minutes to dry out.
- Slice the top and the base of the pineapple, and cut it into eight long wedges, from top to bottom.
- Cut the tough core out of each wedge, then slice the wedges. Melt the butter in a frying pan until foaming.
- Add the pineapple pieces and fry for about three minutes. Then sprinkle over 80g/3oz sugar, and pour in the rum.
- Stir, allow to heat briefly, then slowly tilt the pan towards the flame, or light with a match. Let the flames flare up then die down. Cook for 3-4 mins longer until the juices are reduced to a thick rich syrup.
- Cool slightly, then lift the pineapple out and arrange in the pastry case. Reserve the syrup.
- To make the filling, whisk the mascarpone with all the filling ingredients, including the last of the sugar and the syrup left from the pineapple.
- Pour over the pineapple. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the filling has just set.
- Dust with icing sugar and serve.