Manon Lagrève’s almond, pear and tonka bean tart

Method

1. Make the pastry: in a bowl, use your fingers to rub the butter, sugar, flour and a pinch of salt together until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and milk and quickly mix to form a ball of dough. Don’t worry if it’s not fully smooth; you don’t want to overwork the dough. Cover and put in the fridge for 20 minutes.
2. To make the filling, cream the butter and sugar together using a spatula, then add the eggs and whisk well. Stir in the ground almonds, tonka bean and flour, then set aside.
3. Lightly dust your work surface with flour, then roll the pastry into a 3-4mm thick circle. Use it to line your tart tin, using your fingers to press it into the sides. Trim away the excess pastry, creating a neat edge. Use a fork to prick a few holes in the base and put the tin in the fridge for 20 minutes or the freezer for 5 minutes.
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4. Heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6. Meanwhile, peel and core the pears, then slice in half from top to bottom. Slice each half thinly, keeping the slices attached at the base. Put the pears in the bottom of the tin, fanning out the slices, then fill the empty spaces with the almond cream. Sprinkle over some flaked almonds and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden on top. Serve warm or cold, dusted with icing sugar.