Ma Tantes Caramelized Pear Ginger Tart Recipes

PEAR GINGER TART

Steps:

• Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a paring knife. Place the water and the 1/2 cup (100 grams) of sugar in a saucepan, add the vanilla bean and seeds and bring to a boil over medium heat. When the syrup comes to a boil turn the heat to low, add the pears, and poach on medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the pears soften slightly. Do not over-cook. Set a strainer over a bowl and carefully transfer the pears to the strainer. Refrigerate and let drip overnight. Set aside the syrup for another purpose (it's great with yogurt or ice cream).
• The next day prebake the pastry [ed: please link], then turn the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons (30 grams) sugar together in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the milk, egg yolks and vanilla extract.
• Toss the poached pears with the diced candied ginger and arrange evenly over the bottom of the prebaked tart shell. Pour in the custard mixture, filling the tart 4/5 of the way so that a rim of crust is exposed. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until beginning to color and the flan has set.

MA TANTE'S CARAMELIZED PEAR & GINGER TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Peel and slice pears,
• Caramelize the pears in butter and 3 tbsps sugar. Cook until a nice golden brown and set aside to cool.
• Arrange the cooled, caramelized pears nicely in the unbaked pie crust.
• Blend together the eggs, remaining sugar, minced candied ginger, cream, ground almonds and pear brandy or nectar.
• Pour the custard mixture over the pears and place in a preheated oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes. (or until done)
• Let rest for 10 minutes before serving -- this is equally as good cold as it is warm.
• When ready garnish with a large dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle remaining shredded candied ginger overtop.
• Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

CARAMELIZED PEAR TART

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan with removeable sides.
• In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt and pulse briefly to mix.
• Add the shortening and cut it into the flour mixture using quick on/off pulses until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg and the vanilla and process just until moist clumps form, pulsing the processor on and off.
• Gather the dough into a ball and using your fingertips, press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the preapred tart pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Halve each pear lengthwise and scoop out the core with a melon baller or spoon. Peel and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. There should be about 5 cups.
• Melt the butter over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet and stir in the brown sugar. When the sugar has dissolved and is bubbly, add the pears to the skillet sprinkling them with lemon juice and let the pears cook in the sugar syrup, stirring gently so as not to break up the slices. The pears will, at first, release quite a bit of juice - allow this to simmer until the liquid reduces to a thick syrup and the pears have begun to caramelize. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425°F Gently spoon the pears into the prepared tart shell, spreading them out evenly. Sprnikle with the sliced almonds. Bake for 25 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F and continue baking for 25-30 minutes, until the almonds are toasted and pear filling is bubbly.
• Let cool before removing the sides of the tart pan to serve.

CARAMELIZED UPSIDE-DOWN PEAR TART

Steps:

• Peel, halve, and core pears.
• In a 9- to 10-inch ovenproof non-stick skillet or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet heat butter over moderate heat until foam subsides and stir in sugar (sugar will not be dissolved). Arrange pears, cut sides up, in skillet, with side parts at rim of skillet. Sprinkle pears with cinnamon and cook without stirring until sugar mixture forms a deep golden caramel. (This can take as little as 10 minutes or as much as 25, depending on skillet and stove.) Cool pears completely in skillet.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out dough into an 11-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and arrange over caramelized pears. Tuck edge around pears. Bake tart in middle of oven until pastry is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Have ready a rimmed serving plate slightly larger than skillet. As soon as tart has finished baking, invert plate over skillet and, wearing oven mitts and keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together, invert tart onto plate. (This is a bit scary, but it works!)
• Serve tart at room temperature or chilled with whipped cream or ice cream.