Pear and Almond Tart

Submitted by MarieRynr

"This tart has a meltingly tender all butter crust. I have included instructions for poaching the pears, but if you are in a rush, you may used canned pear halves. Just drain them and dry them very well."

 

• Ready In: 4hrs
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• PEARS

• 4 cups water
• 1 1⁄4 cups sugar
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 medium firm but ripe bosc pears, peeled

• CRUST

• 1⁄2 cup powdered sugar
• 1⁄4 cup blanced slivered almonds
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour

• ALMOND FILLING

• 2⁄3 cup blanched slivered almond
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 7 tablespoons sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• powdered sugar, for dusting

directions

1. For the pears: bring 4 cups water, sugar and lemon juice to boil in a large saucepan over medium high heat, stirring until sugar dissolvds. Add pears. REduce heat tomedium and simmer until pears are very tender, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool pears in syrup (can be made 2 days ahead. cover and refrigerate).
2. For the crust: blend the powedered sugar, almonds and salt in processor until nuts are finely ground. Add butter and blend until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Mix in egg yolk. Add flour. Using off/on turns, blend until dough comes together in clumps. Gather dough into a ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 3 hours (can be made 2 days ahead).
3. For almond filling: finely grind almonds and flour in processor. Mix in 7 TBs sugar, then butter, blending until smooth. Mix in egg and transfer filling to a medium bowl. cover and chill at least 3 hours (can be made 2 days ahead).
4. Put rack in center of oven and preheat to 375*F. Roll out chilled dough on floured sheet of parchment paper to 12 inch round, lifting and turning dough occasionally to free from paper. Using paper as aid, turn dough into a 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom; peel off paper.
5. Seal any cracks in dough, trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang in, making double thick sides. Pierce crust all over with a fork and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
6. LIne crust with buttered foil, buttered side down, then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust until sides are set, about 20 minutes. REmove foil and beans. Bake crust until sides are golden and bottom is set, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 10 minutes longer. Cool crust on wire rack and reduce oven to 350*F.
7. Spread almond filling evenly in crust. Stem pears and cut each in half lengthwise, scoop out cores.
8. Cut each half crosswise into thin slices. Gently press each pear half to fan slices but keep slices tightly overlapped. Slide spatula under pears and arrange atop the filling like spokes of a wheel with narrow ends in center.
9. Bake tart until golden and tester inserted into center of filling comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool tart in pan on rack. Push pan bottom up, releasing tart from pan.
10. Can be made 8 hours ahead of time. Let stand at room temperature.
11. Cut tart into wedges and sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve.