Check out this amazing recipe submitted by one of our customers, Cheryl for our community e-cookbook! She said this is the "Perfect winter dessert - that is simple to make but will always impress".

If you have a recipe you'd love to include in our community cookbook, don't forget to submit it here. You'll also go into the draw to WIN* a $250 Food Voucher

Ingredients:

Tart pastry
- 1 cups self rising flour
- 1 spelt four
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1 TSP vanilla bean paste
- 3/4 cup caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 1tbsp milk

Filling
- 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 3 pears - peeled, halved & core removed
- 2 cups Shiraz (or Merlot) wine
- 1 cinnamon quill
- 4 cloves
- 6 peppercorn
- Small knob ginger
- 1/4 cup brown sugar

Method:

1.  Combine butter & sugar till creamy, add egg, vanilla bean paste & milk
   
2. Slowly fold in flour till combined into a stiff (crumbly) dough Press dough into tart pan covering base & sides
   
3. Bake at 160 degrees for 15 mins till 3/4 baked and turning golden brown
   
4. Remove from oven
   
5. Combine Ricotta, honey & thyme till combined
   
6. Spoon ricotta mixture into 3/4 baked tart shell (or shells if using individual tarts) and bake additional 7 minutes
   
7. Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature
   
8. Simmer pears on low heat in red wine mixture on stove for approx 30 mins till tender
   
9. Pears should be completely submerged while simmering
   
10. Remove pears from poaching liquid / strain spices from red wine poaching liquid & return to stove for approx 20 mins until a thick / red wine syrup
    
11. Slice pears thinly and arrange in a circular rossette pattern on top of ricotta mixture on tarts
    
12. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle reserved spiced red wine glaze over tart

If you try this at home, make sure you you share it with us on Instagram @birkenheadpoint #birkenheadpoint