Johns Pear And Almond Cream Torte Recipes

ALMOND TORTE WITH PEARS AND WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, blend almonds and cornstarch until finely ground, about 15 seconds. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Gently fold in almond mixture. In another large bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third the whites into almond mixture; fold almond mixture into remaining whites just until combined. Pour batter into a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan.
• Make pears and topping: In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups water, 3/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, add pears, and cover pan with a piece of parchment to keep pears submerged. Cook until pears are tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 15 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Bring liquid to a boil and reduce until thick and syrupy, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
• In a large bowl, whisk heavy cream until soft peaks form. Whisk in sour cream and 2 tablespoons sugar; continue to whisk until soft peaks return. Serve cake with pears, syrup, and whipped cream.

JOHN'S PEAR AND ALMOND-CREAM TART

Steps:

• Make dough: In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and granulated sugar; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, gradually add up to 2 tablespoons more ice water).
• Transfer dough (still crumbly) onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form into a 3/4-inch-thick disk; wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to a 12-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan, pressing up sides. Run a rolling pin across the top of pan to trim the edge; refrigerate.
• Make filling: In a food processor, pulse almonds with confectioners' sugar until finely ground. Add butter, egg, flour, salt, and almond extract; process almond cream until well combined.
• Spread 1/4 cup jam on bottom of tart shell, then spread almond cream on top; chill for 15 minutes. Arrange pear slices in a fan pattern over almond cream; place tart on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and almond cream is puffed and set. Transfer tart to a wire rack; let cool in pan. Remove tart from pan. Melt remaining 1/4 cup jam; brush over tart.

ALMOND-PEAR CREAM CHEESE TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F.
• Beat butter and 1/3 cup sugar in small bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour; mix well. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan.
• Beat cream cheese and 1/3 cup of the remaining sugar in same bowl with mixer until blended. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Spread onto bottom of crust. Mix remaining sugar and cinnamon until blended. Add to pears in large bowl; toss to coat. Arrange over cream cheese layer; top with nuts. Bake 10 min.
• Reduce temperature to 375°F; bake torte 25 min. or until center is set. Cool completely. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen torte. Remove rim. Refrigerate torte 3 hours.

PEAR AND ALMOND CREAM TART

Steps:

• To make the shortcrust, add the flour, butter in a food processor and pulse it until the butter and the four resemble cornmeal. Add the water and pulse a few more times until the dough comes together. Wrap the dough up in plastic wrap and refrigerate it until you're ready to use it.
• Roll out the pastry dough into a thin circle and use it to line a 9 inch tart pan or pie pan.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees and place a baking sheet in the oven.
• In a food processor add the blanched almonds and pulse until they are finely ground. Add the butter and process again until they get creamy, add sugar, the egg and the egg white, almond extract and mix well.
• Pour the almond cream into the pastry shell.
• The pears need to be pealed and cut in half, then remove the cores and rub them with the lemon juice. With the pear halves cut side down on a cutting board, slice them thinly crosswise.
• Press down on the top of the slices to fan out the pear slices. Use a spatula to transfer the pear to the tart as you see in the picture below. Repeat with remaining pear halves.
• Place the tart pan on the hot baking sheet and bake it for about 50 to 55 minutes, make sure the almond filling is set and golden brown.
• In a small sauce pan heat the water or brandy and jam, then use this to brush the top of the hot tart to glaze it.
• Serve at room temperature.

ALMOND PEAR TORTE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, butter, sugar, almonds and nutmeg. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar and extract until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust., For topping, combine brown sugar and nutmeg. Add pears; toss to coat. Arrange over top. Sprinkle with almonds., Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate leftovers.

POACHED PEARS WITH ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until mixture forms a ball. , On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut into six circles with a 4-in. cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 7-8 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool. , Peel pears and cut in half lengthwise; remove cores. In a large skillet, combine the grape juice, cinnamon, ginger and allspice; add pears. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until pears are tender, turning once. Remove pears and set aside. , Combine cornstarch and water; stir into poaching liquid. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; discard cinnamon stick., In a small bowl, combine the almond cream ingredients; beat until smooth. On each dessert plate, place a pear half on a pastry circle; drizzle with poaching liquid. Pipe almond cream over pears. Serve immediately.

JOHN'S PEAR AND ALMOND CREAM TORTE

Steps:

• Directions Make dough: In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and granulated sugar; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, gradually add up to 2 tablespoons more ice water). Transfer dough (still crumbly) onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form into a 3/4-inch-thick disk; wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to a 12-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan, pressing up sides. Run a rolling pin across the top of pan to trim the edge; refrigerate. Make filling: In a food processor, pulse almonds with confectioners' sugar until finely ground. Add butter, egg, flour, salt, and almond extract; process almond cream until well combined. Spread cup jam on bottom of tart shell, then spread almond cream on top; chill for 15 minutes. Arrange pear slices in a fan pattern over almond cream; place tart on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and almond cream is puffed and set. Transfer tart to a wire rack; let cool in pan. Remove tart from pan. Melt remaining cup jam; brush over tart.