Instructions: Make the pastry as described and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Find a lidded saucepan that will fit the pears comfortably laying them in the pan on their sides.

Mix the wine with the sugar and pour this over the pears then add the cinnamon stick and the vanilla. pod.

Put the lid on the pan and gently simmer the pears for 45 minutes until tender when tested with a skewer.

Turn them over halfway through the cooking time so the other half sits in the wine and they colour evenly.

Towards the end of the cooking time preheat the oven to gas mark 7/425F/220C. Then roll the pastry out to 3mm thick and cut it into six 10cm circles then arrange them on the baking sheets.

Lift the pears from the liquid and halve them by first making a slit in the stalk as you press it on to a flat surface.

Stand each pear upright and cut through the split stalk halve the pears and remove the cores.

Slice each half into a fan so take a sharp knife and scatting from the top of the stalk end about 10mm in slice the pear downwards and at a slight angle so you end up with the slices of pear fanning out but still attached to the stalk.

Place each half pear on to a pastry base and fan it out then place the baking sheets in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes one on the top shelf the other on the next one down swapping them over halfway through the cooking time.

Reduce the poaching liquid so first remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla pod then place the saucepan over a high heat and let it bubble for about 5 minutes.

In a cup mix the arrowroot with a little cold water until you have a smooth paste then add this to the saucepan whisking with a balloon whisk all the time.

This will thicken the sauce slightly then remove it from the heat and leave it to cool.

When the tarts are ready remove them from the oven.

Serve hot or cold but just before serving pour a little of the sauce over each tart to give them a pretty glaze.

These are exceptionally pretty to look at and I like to serve them as a sweet ending to a special meal. Theyre a bit more trouble but still very easy to make and assemble.

Serves 6

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