Pear frangipane slab tart

Ingredients

• Pastry
• 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• Pinch of salt
• 40g (⅓ cup) icing sugar
• 225g chilled unsalted butter, finely diced
• 60ml (¼ cup) chilled water
• Frangipane
• 240g (1½ cups) raw almonds, freshly toasted
• 160g butter, softened
• 110g (½ cup) caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Poached pears
• 1L (4 cups) cold water
• 440g (2 cups) caster sugar, plus 3 tbsp extra for dusting
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 4 beurré bosc pears (or other firm pears), peeled, halved and cored
• Egg wash
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp pouring cream
• Cream or vanilla ice-cream, to serve (optional)