This delicious dessert was inspired by Manu Feidel’s Tarte Tatin.

We enjoyed it on a cold rainy night for an early Mother’s Day Treat. So good!

To make the pastry base:

• 100g roasted hazelnuts, skin off
• 100g coconut sugar
• 2 – 2 1/4 cups spelt flour (or 1 3/4 – 2 cups plain GF flour mix)
• 150g Nuttelex/vegan butter
• 1 1/2 tsp GF baking powder
• pinch Himilayan salt
• 3 tbsp aquafaba (liquid drained from a can of chick peas), chilled

For a Nut Free Option use 50g each of roasted sunflower and pepita seeds in place of the Hazelnuts.

In your processor place the hazelnuts (or seeds) and sugar and process until finely ground (Speed 9, 10 seconds).

Add in the Nuttelex and process to combine (Speed 4, 8 seconds).

Whilst mixing, add the aquafaba through the top chute and mix until combined (Speed 4, about 15 seconds).

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, then add half at a time to the processor and process until just combined. Start with 2 cups of flour (or 1.75 for the GF mix) and add a little more at a time if you dough is still too sticky. (Use speed 4 for 8 seconds at a time, scraping down in between)

It is a soft dough – so don’t expect it to be tough like store bought, frozen shortcrust.

Tip onto a floured surface and bring it together to a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and set in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but up to overnight.

To make the filling of the tart: 

• 7-8 large pears, peeled, cored and quartered
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 200g coconut sugar
• 150g Nuttelex

Blitz the sugar in your processor until fine like caster sugar (Speed 9, 6 seconds).

Heat a heavy based frying pan (that can also go into the oven).

Place the sugar and vanilla into the pan, spread it out evenly (and then don’t touch it any more!) and allow to cook until golden.

Add in the Nuttelex and mix very well to create a caramel sauce.

Arrange the pears around the pan in the caramel.

Cook on a low heat for about 40 minutes or until the pears are soft and the caramel has slightly thickened.

Remove from heat.

Roll out the pastry (you need only have of the quantity made in the above recipe) between 2 sheets of floured baking paper (trust me – this isn’t an optional step!). Make it slightly larger than your pan base.

Prick the rolled out pastry with a fork and then tip the pricked side down onto the pear mix.

Tuck the pastry in well around the sides of the dish, as this will form the edges of the tart when you flip it out.

Place into a preheated 20)c oven for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the caramel mix has bubbled up around the sides of the pastry.

Now is the hard part …. you have to be patient for an hour … yep …. 1 hour. If you don’t leave it, the caramel will stick to the base of your pan.

Place a plate over the top of your pan and flip the pan (you might need some help if your dish is as heavy as mine!) so it is upended on the plate.

Ta da! Dust with icing sugar or serve with cream or ice cream if your diet allows.

Since this pastry recipe makes double to amount required, I package up and freeze half ready for next time.

Enjoy 🙂