When you can't sleep bake!!!! - Pear and almond tart

Being a head chef you work a lot of hours, it come with the territory. You get used to it, your family accept it, it’s the way it is. This week however I have been struck down with man flu and been unable to even get out of bed let alone make it into work. To make things worse I have been unable to keep up with my marathon training and with only a week to go, whilst I am meant to be tapering, abstaining is not meant to be part of the plan. This combination has left me with an abundance of energy that is unwanted whilst recovering from my man flu. At 4am this morning I was bright awake and unable to turn my brain or my body off I decided that instead of staring at the ceiling of my bedroom I might as well get up and be productive. Having made a bread dough I was trying to decide what else I could make whilst I waited for my first prove to finish. A good rummage through the pantry cupboard and a pear and almond tart was on the go.

500g short crust pastry

200g ground almonds

200g soft butter

200g caster sugar

100g plain flour

4 eggs

75g flaked almonds

2 ripe pears

2 tbsp raspberry jam

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp water

Roll out the pastry and line a 10″ tart case, spread out the jam on the bottom of the pastry. Mix the butter, almonds, sugar and flour for 2 minutes until combined and add in the eggs and continue to combine into a smooth paste. Spoon this mixture over the jam and top with the flaked almonds. Peel the pears and cut into quarters, take out the core and cut the pears into 4 or five slices fanning out each of the quarters on the top of the tart. Bake at 150c for 55 minutes. Allow to cool then warm the honey and water and brush over the top of the tart to create a shiny glaze. 

Ps you don’t have to make it at 4 am