Email to Gillian Scarlett      

Recipe Categories: gilly's HOME PAGEAPPETIZERS BarCookies BBQ Beans BEVERAGES BREAD BREAKFAST BROWNIES BRUNCH burgers CAKESandPIES CANDY CASSEROLES Cheesecakes chicken CHILI COOKIES CROCKPOT DESSERTS DIABETIC EGGS ETHNIC FISHandSEAFOOD LOWCARB MEATS MUFFINS NACHOS PASTA PASTASALAD PASTRIES PIES PIZZA Potatoes potatoes POTATOSALADS POULTRY QUICHE RICE SALADandDRESSING SANDWICHES SAUCES SNACKS SOUPSandSTEWS Stuffing TARTS VEGETABLES VEGETARIAN

Pear Custard Tart with Cornmeal Crust




Source of Recipe


Jamaica Gleaner


List of Ingredients




Zest of 1 lemon
2 tbs. lemon juice (or 1 tbs. lime juice)
1/2 cup honey
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1/2 vanilla bean, split

2 large, ripe but firm American pears (Anjou, Bosc, Comice or Winter Nellis), peeled, halved and cored
3 large eggs
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Cornmeal Tart Dough (recipe below)



Recipe



1. In large pot, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, the water, wine, cinnamon and cloves. With the tip of a small, sharp knife, scrape vanilla seeds into liquid, then add vanilla pod to pot. Bring mixture to a simmer over moderate heat. Add pears; poach just until a knife easily penetrates the flesh (15 to 25 minutes, depending on variety, size and ripeness). Let cool in poaching liquid.

2. With fingers, press Cornmeal Tart Dough into bottom and sides of 9-inch tart tin. Prick dough all over with fork. Chill 45 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Halve each pear half lengthwise. Arrange pears, cut sides facing down, in prepared tart shell. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, whipping cream, 1/4 cup of the poaching liquid and nutmeg. Carefully pour mixture around and over pears. Bake until custard is firm to the touch and lightly browned (about 35 minutes). Cool on rack. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 1 (9-inch) tart.

Cornmeal Tart dough

1 cup flour, plus 2 tbs. flour if necessary
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
6 tbs. chilled unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
1 large egg
1 tbs. water

METHOD

1. Into work bowl of a food processor, place the 1 cup flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt. Process until mixed (about 3 seconds). Add butter and process until blended (about 4 seconds). Beat egg with water and add to bowl; process until dough barely forms a ball.

2. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly to form a ball, sprinkling with up to 2 more tablespoons flour if necessary. Pat into a square, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours (if refrigerated for more than 2 hours, remove from refrigerator about 20 minutes before pressing into tart tin).