It really is too hot to bake. In fact it is too hot to do anything apart from the basic tasks required to keep our property functioning and our family and animals safe.
The heat is widespread which is quite alarming, where will it all end?
I can’t bring myself to post any photos of our parched landscape so instead I’m focusing my attention on other things, just for a moment. We recently escaped to the Sunraysia Farmer’s Market which happens to be one of my favourite places to be on a Saturday morning. After wrestling with an enormous bacon and vegetable roll for breakfast I quickly found one of my favourite stall holders, Jayne Bawden . Jayne’s stall is always overflowing with smooth ceramics, fresh flowers, potted herbs and creative inspiration. It is hard to leave empty handed.
With my ceramics safely stowed away I couldn’t go past these tiny pears which are actually fully ripe at this stage. Now I am wishing I had asked the stall holder what variety they were, instead I was too busy planning what to cook with them. They look like they belong in autumn but apparently not.
I have posted this recipe previously in a few different places but I have given it a tidy up and retested it. This tart is simple to make and can be adapted to almost any fruit resulting in a dense treat that can be served warm or cool. We shared this one with our neighbours after a scorching hot day, a dust storm and casual dinner of sausages and bread.
A buttery tart will not make it rain or lower the temperatures but it always feels nice to bake something and then share it with family and neighbours. I suppose that is what always brings me back to baking.
In other, enormous news this week our eldest heads off to boarding school for the first time. I will probably write about this in a future post but for now an extra slice or two of something sweet might be needed by all of us.
Are you keeping cool? Or warm depending on where you are?
Have you revisited an old recipe or a nice market recently?
Are you preparing for another school year?
Happy Sunday, friends x

- 130 g butter softened to room temperature
- 165 g castor sugar
- 1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
- 1 tbsp finely grated orange rind
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 3 eggs
- 180 g almond meal
- 75 g plain flour sifted
- 1/2 tsp baking powder sifted
- 80 g flaked almonds
- 1/4 cup honey warmed/runny
- 8 small pears halved or 2-3 large pears sliced and cored
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Preheat oven to 160°C. Lightly grease a 26cm loose bottomed tart tin.
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Place the butter, sugar, rind and vanilla in a bowl and beat well until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the almond meal, flour and baking powder and mix to combine. Fold in flaked almonds.
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Spoon mixture into the tart tin and spread until smooth. Push the fruit gently into the filling.
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Bake for 40 minutes or until golden and set.
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Remove from the oven and brush with honey while still warm. Allow tart to cool slightly before removing it from the tin.
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Serve warm or at room temperature.
Kate B
We have pears on pur pear trees for the first time this year. We are hoping to try one or two soon as they are still hanging in there against all odds!
Sending happy thoughts this week xxx
Jane S
Thanks Kate, happy pear growing! x
Gerrie Mackey
Your pear and almond tart looks delicious …it is such an effort to cook in hot weather.. bring on autumn!
I did my teaching practice ( years ago) in Broken Hill, happy memories😀
Jane S
Yes Gerrie, bring on autumn indeed. Nice to hear from you.
Kate
On the up side, it takes no time at all to get butter to room temperature. 😉
Jane S
Absolutely Kate!
Sue
Oooh I’ve been wanting to get to the Sunrasyia farmers market, we should tee up a date and next there… Good luck with that boarding school stuff, you are braver than me
Jane S
Sue, it is a lovely market! I would love to meet you there. I am not really that brave, it is more of a necessity. But, so far so good!
Anne
Pretty little pears and a delicious looking tart. I’m typing this just as snow has started to fall, though it’s wet sloppy stuff and won’t settle (thank goodness), which is quite a contrast to your heat.
I’m sure it will be a big change for the family when the eldest heads off to boarding school. Does it seem like only yesterday when she was a babe in arms?
Wishing you cooler, wetter days. Anne x
Jane S
Yes Anne, I am not sure where those 12 years have gone. Is it still snowing? I think your Australia trip might be on the horizon? x
Joanne
As I write this the snow is still coming down and although there is lots of it, at least it is not cold (-7 Celsius). I feel for you all in Oz in the awful heat and dry. Only wish I could send you rain…
About the pears , I think they might be Comice. They are really delicious and great for eating as is.
Jane S
Thank you Joanne, stay warm! -7 seems very cold to me!
Karen
Thanks for you beautiful newsletter and recipe! Can’t wait to try it. Wishing your family all the best for the start of the school year, I hope you get a break from the heat and here’s hoping it will rain soon! But in the mean time enjoy those beautiful ceramics and your wonderful baking. Go gently ✨
Jane S
Thank you Karen, so lovely to hear from you.
Sam
Hi Jane. Those pears look like Rocha but I’m not sure if that variety is grown in Australia. Perhaps Packham instead? Either way, they and your tart look absolutely delicious. Wishing you the best of luck with boarding school. I hope it all goes well (for you all) and that you get some respite from the heat soon. Sam x
Jane S
Thank you Sam, it is lovely to hear from you x
Alphie
Yes, January , (only just…) and the 2019 Farmer’s Markets kick off, not too long now and autumn produce will be here.
And further to the pear ID question I saw similiar in the supermarket, labelled Paradise Pears but possibly they are only grown by their producers. No, I didn’t buy any as they were packaged in plastic……
Boarding school; hope everyone settles in well, it can open doors to many new and undreamed of experiences.
Alphie
Jane S
Thank you Alphie. Pears do come in a lot of plastic at the supermarket don’t they? It seems crazy, plastic on top of more plastic. So far so good with the boarding school venture.