Rice Pudding Tartlets, Drunken Pears, Almond Crumble

Introduction

My grandmother was the queen of Christmas rice pudding. To dress it up she drew flowers or checkerboard patterns in cinnamon, with endless patience. When she died, that exact flavour went with her—no one will match her rice. With this recipe, which folds rice pudding into a tart, I try to honour her; the vivid drunken pear and almond crumble give it a sophisticated lift.

Instructions

For the drunken pears:

1. Peel the pears and trim the base; keep in water so they don’t brown.

2. Combine wines, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, cardamom, brown sugar, honey, orange peel and a couple of lemon thyme sprigs in a pan. Bring to a simmer.

3. Add the pears stems up. When it boils, cover with a parchment disc and poach 15–20 minutes until tender but holding shape.

4. Lift pears to a dish; reduce the liquid to a syrup.

5. Strain out aromatics, pour syrup over the pears, cover with parchment and chill at least 8 hours.

For the pâte sablée:

1. Blitz flour, butter and almond flour in a processor. Add yolk, fleur de sel and icing sugar; pulse again.

2. Drizzle iced water until the dough looks like wet sand; stop.

3. Shape a disc through cling film without overworking. Chill at least 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Butter loose-bottom tartlet tins.

5. Roll the dough on a floured surface to 2–3 mm, turning often.

6. Cluster the tins, roll dough onto the pin and unroll over them. Roll the pin across to trim excess.

7. Line each shell, dock bases, line with paper and baking beans.

8. Bake 10 minutes at 200°C, then 180°C without beans another 10 minutes until golden. Cool.

For the rice pudding:

1. Simmer rice with butter, cinnamon stick, fleur de sel, orange blossom water (or water with neroli, or orange peel) and lemon peel until liquid evaporates.

2. Add milk gradually, simmering until almost cooked. Remove lemon and cinnamon. Cool slightly.

3. Whisk yolks with sugar; thin with a little milk, whisking so they don’t scramble.

4. Return to the pot over low heat, stirring constantly until thick. Pour into a dish, cover with cling film on the surface, chill about 1 hour.

For the almond crumble:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Mix flours and sugar.

2. Rub in cold butter and fleur de sel until clumpy and sandy.

3. Spread on a silicone-lined tray; bake 12–15 minutes, stirring halfway. Cool until crisp.

To serve:

1. Unmould tartlets.

2. Spoon rice pudding into each.

3. Halve a pear, remove core, slice one half into wedges. Place half a pear on the rice with a wedge on top.

4. Scatter crumble, lemon thyme leaves and lemon zest.