Ingredients

Method

For the sablé:
• 1 free-range egg yolk
• 1⁄2 t saffron
• 150 g cake flour
• 75 g cold butter
• 50 g diced icing sugar
• 1 t ground cardamom
• 250 g Woolworths Ayrshire ricotta
• 4 pears, very thinly sliced
• 3 T maple syrup

Method

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. To make the sablé, mix the egg yolk with the saffron and set aside.

2. Place the flour and butter in a bowl and rub in the butter using your fingertips. Add the icing sugar and cardamom and mix through.

3. Add the egg mixture and gently combine until a ball of dough forms. Shape into a circle, wrap in clingwrap and chill for 30 minutes.

4. Roll out the pastry to a thickness of 5 mm and cut into your desired shape. Blind bake for 10 minutes. Spoon the ricotta onto the pastry and layer the pears over it. Drizzle with maple syrup, then bake for a further 15 minutes.

Cook's note: Freeze the pastry and defrost overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to bake. If you like, use readymade puff pastry.

Find more Christmas dessert recipes here. 

Photographs: Myburgh Du Plessis
Food assistants: Bianca Strydom and  Nadia Meyer