Spiced Pear and Cinnamon Custard Tart
A deep, silky cinnamon custard set in a crisp pastry shell, topped with ruby-stained pears that stay neat enough to fan and slice cleanly. The egg white seal keeps the base properly crisp, and chilling the tart before decorating gives you that sharp, pâtisserie-style cut. The pears poach gently in spiced red wine until they take on a beautiful deep colour, then cool in their syrup to stay moist and tender. The custard is enriched with honey for a softer sweetness that sits well with the warmth of cinnamon, and it bakes low and slow so it sets without curdling.
This is an elegant tart that looks far more complicated than it is.
Everything can be prepared in stages - the pastry and pears can both be made ahead, leaving just the custard and assembly for the day itself. The result is a tart that slices cleanly and looks polished on the plate, with layers that hold their shape and flavours that feel quietly festive without being heavy-handed. It works equally well after a Sunday roast or at the center of a dinner party table, and keeps beautifully for a day or two in the fridge.
Spiced Pear and Cinnamon Custard Tart
A deep, silky cinnamon custard tart topped with red wine poached pears. Crisp pastry, egg white sealed base, and a clean set for perfect slices.
Ingredients
- 250 g plain flour
- 125 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 80 g icing sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 to 2 tbsp cold water or milk if needed
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- Egg white for sealing
- 700 ml double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- 8 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 80 g caster sugar
- 30 g runny honey
- 6 firm Conference or Comice pears
- 750 ml red wine
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 cloves
- 1 star anise
Instructions
- To prepare the pears, peel and halve them lengthways and cut off the stalks. Neatly scoop out the cores using a melon baller and cut away the blossom end. Heat the red wine with the sugar and spices until simmering, then lower in the pears. Poach gently for 20 minutes until they are tender but still able to hold their shape—a knife should pierce them easily but they shouldn't slump when lifted. Leave them to cool in the spiced syrup. Once cooled, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper.
- For the pastry, combine the flour, icing sugar and salt, then rub in the cold butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the egg yolks and work the dough just until it comes together, adding a touch of cold water or milk only if needed to bring it together. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in cling film and chill until firm, around 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease a 23 cm x 5cm (see notes) loose-bottomed tart tin and line the base with a circle of parchment paper.
- Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface until even and smooth, then lift it on the rolling pin and ease it into the tin without breaking it. Lift the edges slightly as you press it into the fluted sides so the pastry doesn't tear. Trim the overhanging edges and prick the base all over with a fork to prevent bubbling or shrinking. Chill again for 30 mins so the shape holds.
- Line the tart with scrunched up baking paper and fill it with baking beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes then remove the paper and beans and continue baking for 10 minutes. Brush the inside with a little egg white to seal the holes made by the fork and return it to the oven for 5 minutes. This creates a waterproof seal so the custard won't soak in. Set the shell aside.
- Lower the oven temperature to 150°C (130°C fan).
- Warm the cream with the vanilla until steaming but not boiling. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, honey and cinnamon until smooth. Slowly pour the warm cream into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly so it stays silky and doesn't scramble. Strain the custard through a sieve.
- Pour the custard into the baked tart case and carefully place back in the oven on the middle shelf. Bake for 40–50 minutes until the edges are set but the centre still has a soft wobble like set jelly. Check at 35 minutes to avoid over-baking as every oven is different. The custard will firm as it cools. Leave it to reach room temperature for 1-2 hours, then chill fully so it slices cleanly.
- Slice the pears lengthways and arrange over the chilled custard in overlapping fans or a spiral. Add toasted hazelnuts or grated dark chocolate if you like a little texture.
- The tart keeps well for two days in the fridge if covered.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
520Fat
40 gSugar
28 gProtein
7 gCarbs
72 gApproximate values per serving
Ingredients and sourcing tips
Red wine
A medium-bodied red gives the pears a deep colour and enough structure to keep the flavour balanced. It should have gentle tannin so the pears take on richness without bitterness. Wines that are too sweet can make the poaching syrup cloying, so a straightforward table wine works best. The aim is warmth and colour rather than complexity.
Pears
Conference and Comice are ideal because they hold their shape as they poach and slice cleanly for fanning. They should be firm when you begin so they soften gradually in the syrup rather than collapsing.
Vanilla Extract
Extract and paste both work equally well—paste gives visual appeal with tiny specks throughout the custard, while extract is more economical. Choose whichever you prefer.
Cinnamon
A small amount is enough to perfume the custard without overwhelming it. The warmth sits in the background and complements the pears rather than trying to compete with them. Freshly opened cinnamon has more presence, which gives the custard a rounder finish.
Honey
The honey adds a soft sweetness that blends more gently into the custard than sugar alone and gives a faint floral note that suits the pears.
Poaching spices
The cinnamon stick, cloves and star anise give a gentle mulled fragrance to the syrup. They are there to lift the pears, not dominate them, so the spices should stay whole and subtle. Their flavour builds as the pears cool in the pan.
Variations and dietary swaps
Hazelnut finish
Toasted hazelnuts bring texture and a warm nuttiness. Chop them fairly small so they stay light on the tart and don't interfere with the clean slices. They work especially well if you prefer a dessert with some crunch.
Chocolate finish
A fine dusting of grated dark chocolate adds a slight bitterness that balances the sweetness of the pears and custard. Because it melts on contact, it creates a soft, aromatic top layer without overwhelming the tart.
Spiced custard
A pinch of nutmeg or allspice can be added if you want a more festive profile. Keep the amounts small so the custard remains gentle and aromatic rather than heavy with spice.
Alcohol-free poaching
You can swap the red wine for cranberry or apple juice with a little lemon to balance the sweetness. The colour will still be beautiful but the syrup will need slightly less sugar because the juice sweetens as it reduces.
Gluten-free
Gluten-free plain flour works with the same quantities, though the pastry may be slightly more fragile when rolling and handling.
Different fruits
Poached quince or apples work beautifully with the same method, though poaching times will vary—quince takes longer (45-60 minutes)
Kitchen notes
Tips and pitfalls to avoid Chill the pastry twice so it doesn't shrink in the oven and use the egg-white seal to keep the crust crisp once the custard is poured in. You won't need a whole egg white as you want to brush it fairly thinly, just to seal the holes and prevent it getting soggy. Straining the custard removes bubbles and ensures a smooth, even set. If you are nervous about moving it from the counter to the oven while full, you can carefully pour the custard once the shell is already on the oven shelf to prevent spills.
Tart tin
This tart is quite deep which gives you a dramatic slice. If you are using a standard 3cm deep tart tin, reduce the custard by about ¼ to prevent overflow. The tart will still serve 8-10, though slices will be slightly less dramatic in height.
Timing and texture cues
The custard should be set around the edges with a soft wobble in the centre. It firms as it cools so avoid over-baking it. The pears should be tender when pierced with a knife but should not slump when lifted from the syrup. Cooling them in the liquid helps them take on colour and stay moist.
Storage and make-ahead
The tart keeps well for two days in the fridge. The pastry dough can be made the day before and chilled, and the custard mixture can sit for a few hours before baking as long as you give it a brief whisk before straining. The poached pears can be arranged on the tart up to 4 hours before serving if kept chilled.
Serving suggestions
How to serve
Serve the tart well chilled so the custard slices cleanly. Arrange the pears in overlapping fans or a spiral and, if you want extra shine, add a little reduced syrup at the table rather than directly on the tart so the pastry remains crisp.
Drinks to pair
A lightly sweet dessert wine or a winter-spiced tea works well with the cinnamon and pears.
