Pear Tart
Source of Recipe
Farmhouse Cookbook
Recipe Introduction
This recipe was shared by Kristina (CozyKitchen@aol.com)on the PS Board
List of Ingredients
HAZELNUT PASTRY
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned and finely ground (see Note)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into small pieces
4 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
PEARS AND POACHING LIQUID
6 medium Bosc pears (firm)
1/2 lemon
4 cups water
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 whole cloves
1 vanilla bean, slit lengthwise
1 slice candied ginger (1 tsp) coarsely chopped
3 long strips lemon zest (3 inches each)
TART FILLING
2 large eggs
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
minced zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned, coarsely chopped (see Note)Recipe
1. Make the pastry; Place the flour, ground hazelnuts, salt and sugar in a
food processor and pulse once to mix. Add the butter, and process until it
is mixed with the flour and cut into pieces smaller than a pea. Add the egg
yolks and the vanilla, and process with short pulses. Continue with longer
pulses until the dough holds together but isn't overmixed, 2 to 3 minutes
total. Flatten the pastry to form a small disc, wrap it in waxed paper,
and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. While the pastry is chilling, prepare the pears: Peel, halve, and core
the pears. Rub each piece with the lemon to prevent its browning while you
prepare the remainder.
3. Combine the water, both sugars, cloves, vanilla bean, candied ginger, and
lemon zest in a large heavy saucepan. Cover, bring to a boil over high heat,
and cook until the sugar has dissolved, stirring once, 3 to 5 minutes. Add
the pear halves to the poaching liquid. If it doesn't completely cover them,
add more water. (If you are adding more than 1/2 cup water, add an extra
tablespoon of sugar.) Let the liquid return to a boil, then reduce to
a brisk simmer, cover, and poach the pears until they are tender, 30 minutes.
Test them occasionally by piercing the thickest part of the pear with a sharp
knife. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pears from the liquid, drain them,
and arrange them in a single layer on a plate or a clean work surface; let
them cool. Reserve the poaching liquid.
4. Preheat the oven to 375* F.
5. Place the poaching liquid over medium-high heat, and cook, uncovered,
until it is reduced by about three fourths, 8 to 10 minutes. It should be
thick and syrupy. Strain, and keep warm.
6. Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, press the chilled pastry into
a 10-inch tart tin with removable bottom. Pierce the pastry several times
with a fork, and bake it in the center of the oven until it is golden and
cooked through, about 20 minutes. If the edges begin to brown too quickly,
loosely cover the entire pastry with aluminum foil. When the pastry is
baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
7. Make the tart filling: In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the eggs
and both sugars until pale yellow. Add the butter and the lemon zest, and
whisk thoroughly. Combine three of the poached pear halves with the lemon
juice in a food processor, and puree'. Add the purée to the egg mixture,
whisking thoroughly. Stir in the hazelnuts, and set aside.
8. Cut all but one remaining pear half lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick
slices, leaving them attached at the stem end. Thinly slice the remaining
pear half crosswise (these slices should be completely cut through).
9. Assemble the tart: Stir the filling mixture once, and pour it into the
cooled tart shell. Place a knife under each pear half, and press gently on
the pear to fan it out slightly. Transfer the pears on the knife to the tart
shell and arrange them with the blossom end right next to the edge and the
stem end toward the center. Crowd the pears slightly if necessary to fit
them in. Place a knife under the pear that is cut across the width, and
press on it gently so it spreads out. Place it in the center of the tart.
Bake in the center of the oven until the filling has set, 35 to 30 minutes.
Again, if the edges begin to brown too much, loosely cover the tart with
aluminum foil. Cool to room temperature.
10. Just before serving, brush the pears with some of the thickened poaching
liquid to shine them up. Serve the tart, passing the additional poaching
liquid alongside. One 10-inch tart (6 to 8 servings)
NOTES:
To toast hazelnuts; preheat the oven to 350* F. Place the nuts in a baking pan large enough to hold them in a single layer and toast, stirring once, until they give off a toasted aroma, 10 to 15 minutes. Wrap the nuts in a kitchen towel and rub them between your hands to remove the skin
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