Ingredients
- 6 pears, peeled, with stems left intact
- Juice and peeled rind of 1 lemon, cut in thin strips
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 x 330ml bottles Old Mout Pear Cider
- 1 vanilla bean, split in half and seeds scraped out, or 1 tsp Heilala vanilla extract (optional)
Filo Tart
- 4 layers filo pastry
- 50g butter, melted
- 1/4 cup toasted crushed macadamia nuts
- Greek yoghurt, mascarpone or ice-cream, to serve
Method
Cut a thin slice off bottom of pears so they stand upright. Arrange pears in a small to medium saucepan so they fit snugly. Add ingredients and bring to a gentle simmer and poach for 45 minutes. Allow pears to cool slightly before carefully removing from liquid. Reserve liquid.
To make the filo tart cases, preheat oven to 180°C. Carefully separate filo into 2 layers. Brush top of first layer with melted butter, place second layer on top and brush with remaining melted butter. Cut layered filo into 6 squares. Push filo squares into 6 muffin pans and bake for 10-12 minutes or until filo is golden and crisp.
Meanwhile, rapidly boil poaching liquid for 10-15 minutes until reduced to a syrup.
Place a poached pear in each tart shell and place on a plate. Drizzle over cider syrup and scatter with toasted nuts. Serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, mascarpone or a scoop of ice-cream.
