needs more sugar

After day dreaming about a pear and almond tart at work last week (hello there 3pm sugar cravings!) I just had to make one the next chance I had.

I had a Sunday visit planned to see family out at Kurrajong, however I was told not to bring a dessert this time as my Aunty was making some Golden Syrup Dumplings (!!!).
So.. when I arrived home after being fed extremely well I was definitely not in the mood for dessert, but still felt like baking.

I really need to start reading recipes further down than the ingredients list, otherwise I end up losing focus and overcooking crusts at ridiculous hours of a Sunday night.
Thankfully I poached the pears the day before!

I have borrowed this recipe from Epicurious. :)

Ingredients:

Poached Pears

4 cups water
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 medium-size firm but ripe pears, peeled

Crust

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds
1/4 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

Almond Filling

2/3 cup blanched slivered almonds
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
7 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg

Method:

For the pears:

1. Bring 4 cups water, sugar, and lemon juice to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
2. Add pears. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until pears are very tender, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes.
3. Cool pears in syrup.
   Note: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

For crust:

1. Blend powdered sugar, almonds, and salt in processor until nuts are finely ground.
2. Add butter and blend until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
3. Mix in egg yolk.
4. Add the flour and then using the pulse function, blend until dough comes together in clumps
5. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 3 hours (I cheated and only left it for 2 – GASP)
   Note: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.

For almond filling:

1. Finely grind almonds and flour in processor.
2. Mix in 7 tablespoons sugar, then butter, blending until smooth.
3. Mix in egg. Transfer filling to medium bowl.
4. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.
   Note: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

To cook:

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 190°C
2. Roll out chilled dough on floured sheet of baking paper to 12-inch round (lifting and turning dough to free from paper)
3. Put dough into a 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom
4. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang in, making double-thick sides. Stab crust all over with fork.
5. Freeze the crust 10 for minutes
6. Line the crust with buttered foil, buttered side down, then fill with pie weights
7. Bake crust until sides are set, about 20 minutes
   Note: When I took my crust out at this stage it was pretty well cooked then, so I’d drop this down to 15 mins and then maybe 5 mins more for the next step (for me – you know your ovens better than I do).
8. Remove foil and beans and bake crust until sides are golden and bottom is set, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 10 minutes longer.
9. Cool crust in pan on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 175°C
10. Spread the almond filling evenly in crust.
11. Stem pears and cut each in half lengthwise; scoop out cores. Cut each half crosswise into thin slices.
12. Arrange pears however you fancy ontop of the filling (the recipe called for a nice fan pattern, not on a Sunday night – sorry).
13. Bake tart until golden and tester inserted into center of filling comes out clean, about 55 minutes.
    Note: I wrapped tin foil around the edge of the pan to protect the crust from burning.
14. Cool tart in pan on rack. Push pan bottom up, releasing tart from pan.
    Note: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep at room temperature in an airtight container

Tags: pears

This entry was posted on April 11, 2011 at 10:22 am and is filed under fruit, pies/tarts etc. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.