---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Pear Tartlets
 Categories: Pies, Fruits
      Yield: 6 Servings
 
-----------------------------------DOUGH-----------------------------------
    180 g  flour (6 oz)
     30 g  Icing sugar (1 oz)
    150 g  Butter; chilled (5 oz)
      1    Egg yolk

----------------------------------FILLING----------------------------------
    450 g  Can pears in juice (16 oz)
    300 ml Custard cream; up to 400 ml,
           - (see below)

-------------------------------CUSTARD CREAM-------------------------------
    500 ml Milk (17 fl oz)
      1    Vanilla pod
     30 g  Flour (1 oz)
     85 g  Sugar (3 oz)
    1/4 ts Salt
      1 tb Butter; melted
      4    Eggs
      2    Egg yolks

-----------------------------------GLAZE-----------------------------------
      2    Gelatin leaves
           Lemon juice
 
  To Drink: - Sweet white wine
  
  Level of Difficulty: Fairly easy
  Preparation Time: 1 hr + resting time + setting time
  Prepare in Advance: Yes
  
  First, make the pastry.  Mix together the flour, icing sugar and
  butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg
  yolk and work quickly together to form a dough. Set aside in the
  fridge to rest for 1 hour.
  
  Make the custard cream.  Pour the milk into a saucepan. Halve the
  vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the milk. Add the
  pod. Bring to the boil and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Beat
  together the eggs, egg yolks, flour, sugar, salt and butter. Beat
  in the boiling strained milk.  Pour the mixture back into the
  saucepan and bring to the boil, beating vigorously.  Set aside to
  cool, beating occasionally. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to
  serve.
  
  Roll out the dough and line 6 small fluted tart tins with removable
  bases.  Prick the bases with a fork. Chill for 15-30 minutes.
  Preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F/Gas Mark 6.
  
  Bake blind for 15-20 minutes or until golden.  Set aside to cool.
  
  Strain the pears and reserve 150 ml / 5 fl oz of the juice. Cut the
  pears into thin quarters.
  
  Soak the gelatin leaves in cold water for approximately 10 minutes.
  Squeeze out the water and melt the leaves in a little pear juice.
  Add lemon juice to taste. Keep in the fridge until the glaze starts
  to thicken.
  
  Spread the custard over the base of the pastry moulds. Decorate
  with pear quarters and cover with the glaze. Place in the fridge
  until the glaze has set.
  
  Posted by: Sue Rykmans.
 
-----