Instructions: 1 Melt the sugar cubes in 50 cl water in a small saucepan over a low heat, to make a syrup. Peel and wash the pears, add them to the pan and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, leave the pears to cool in the syrup.

2 Prepare the confectioners custard: boil the milk with the vanilla in a saucepan. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar in a terrine dish until the mixture is frothy. Then add the flour, still beating the mixture. Pour in the hot milk and put back on the heat, beating until the mixture boils. Leave to cool.

3 Strain the pears and arrange on a serving dish. Pour the custard over the top and decorate with the almonds.

You can use peaches, apricots, figs etc. instead of the pears.

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