Serves 4

If you haven’t an ovenproof pan big enough to cook all the pears together, you can pour the caramel into a swiss roll tin to set. The caramel does not need to reach the sides of the tin; just make sure it covers an area that will take the four pear halves.

100g caster sugar
100g butter, cut into small cubes
2 tbsp dark rum
2 ripe, firm Conference pears, peeled and halved
4 star anise
400g puff pastry
Flour, for dusting

For the anise ice-cream

250ml double cream
250ml milk
8-10 star anise
65g sugar
5 egg yolks

1 For the ice-cream, bring the cream, milk and star anise to the boil in a pan. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 20-30 minutes. Strain through a sieve and discard the star anise.

2 Whisk the sugar and yolks together in a large mixing bowl. Gradually beat in the infused cream, then return the liquid to a clean pan. Stir continuously over low heat until the mixture thickens to a light custard. Pass through a sieve and leave to cool, stirring once in a while to prevent a skin from forming. Churn in an ice-cream machine until frozen.

3 Melt the sugar with two tablespoons of water in a heavy-based ovenproof pan over low heat. Add the butter and melt over medium heat, shaking the pan to blend the butter and sugar together. Increase the heat and cook to a medium-dark caramel. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum – watch out as it will splutter. Leave the caramel to cool in the pan, then chill until firm.

4 Meanwhile, prepare the pears and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Scoop out the cores using a melon baller to create a tidy circular hole, then press a star anise into each one.

5 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin, then scrunch into a ball and knead lightly until smooth. Roll out again, then place the rounded side of each pear on top of the pastry. Cut the pastry around the pears, leaving a 1cm border all of the way round.

6 Transfer the pears to a board, cut-side down, and drape the pastry over them. Mould the pastry around the pears and trim away the excess. Place the pears cut-side down on the set caramel and chill for at least 30 minutes.

7 Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Remove the pan from the fridge and bake the pear tatins for about 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp. Leave to stand for 2-3 minutes, then slide a fish slice under each pear and carefully lift and flip over onto a warmed plate. Trickle over the caramelised pan juices and serve with a scoop of the anise ice-cream.

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