3 or 4 pears, skin on 1 tsp brown sugar 150 gm butter 50 gm caster sugar 2 large eggs, slightly beaten 150 gm almond meal 2 tblsp self-raising flour 2 tbsp blanched almonds
Line a 23 cm circular flan tin with baking paper and grease the sides. Sprinkle the base of the lined tin with the brown sugar. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the lightly beaten eggs. Add almond meal and flour, and mix.
Cut the pears thickly, with the skin on one side. Place them cut side down in the tin, and fill and spaces with the blanched almonds, to make a nice pattern. Pour the cake mix over the top.
Bake for 45 minutes or until firm in the centre.
Turn over to serve.
I made this with apple rings, dates and cashews. It was OK, but a little bit dry (for my taste - Geoff said it was puddeny). I reckon the batter could do with some lemon juice and grated rind, and I would have just added the egg yolks, then whisked up the whites and folded them in at the end, making the batter lighter and more interesting. Also, the brown sugar in the base of the tin didn't make as good a glaze as you might have thought - you could use more of it.