Pear and Cardamom Flan Cake

Pastry

175 g (6 oz) plain flour
¼ teaspoon salt
100 g (3½ oz) unsalted butter or vegetarian margarine, diced, plus extra for greasing
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1–2 tablespoons cold water

Filling:

To serve:

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter or margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and slowly work in the egg yolk and water to form a soft dough. Knead lightly, wrap in foil and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a greased 23 cm (9 inch) fluted flan tin. Prick the base and chill for a further 20 minutes.
Line the pastry case with nonstick baking paper and baking beans. Place in a preheated oven, 220°c (425°f) gas mark 7, for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 10–12 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 180°c (350°f) gas mark 4.
Make the filling. Beat together the butter or margarine and sugar until pale and light and then beat in the eggs, until incorporated. Lightly beat in all the remaining ingredients, except the pears. pour the mixture into the prepared pastry case.
Peel and halve the pears and scoop out the cores. Thinly slice each pear lengthways. Be careful not to change the shape of the pears. Then, using a palette knife, carefully transfer the sliced pears to the pastry case, arranging them neatly on the filling. Bake the flan for 55–60 minutes until golden and firm in the middle. Serve the flan warm, sprinkled all over with a little caster sugar and some whipped cream, if liked.