Spiced Vanilla Pear Tart With Almond Whipped Cream Recipes

SPICED VANILLA PEAR TART WITH ALMOND WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Press pie crust firmly and up the sides of a 10-inch tart baking pan or a 9 inch pie plate. Line crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil and add pie weight or dried beans. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove parchment paper and pie weights. Bake for another 6 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely while you prepare the filling. Peel, core and chop 3 medium-sized Comice pears, set aside. Combine 1 cup sour cream and 3/4 cup half and half in a large bowl; beat until smooth. Whisk in pudding mix. Add 2 Tbsp. maple syrup, continuing to beat. Gently fold in the chopped pears. Pour the pudding mixture into prepared pie crust. Cover; refrigerate several hours (at least 3) or overnight. Just before serving, preheat broiler. Peel the final pear, and cut into thin slices. Arrange in a pattern in the center of the pudding mixture. Combine 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 tsp. ginger, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon and 1/8 tsp. cloves in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over pears. Rim the edges of the tart with the 1/3 cup of chopped pecans. Broil 4 to 6 minutes or just until the sugar is melted and begins to crystalize, watching carefully not to burn the sugar. Prepare the whipped topping: Add 1 cup heavy cream, 1 1/2 tsp. almond extract and 1 Tbsp confectioners sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on low. Gradually increase the speed until soft peaks begin to form. Serve the pear tart immediately with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprig of mint, if desired. TIP: To easily peel pears, submerge the pears in a large pot of boiling water for about 10-15 seconds then place into a large bowl of ice cold water. Using your fingers, gently rub the pear skin from each pear.

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.

SPICED PEAR TART

Steps:

• Poach the pears: Combine 2 cups/480 milliliters water, sugar, vanilla extract and star anise pods in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Place the pears in the poaching liquid and cover with a lid. Keep just below a simmer and cook until the pears are tender, about 40 minutes depending on the ripeness of the pears. Remove the pears from the liquid to a plate and cool completely. Slice each pear half crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Set aside.
• While the pears poach and cool, make the pastry: Trim a sheet of puff pastry to one 4 1/2-by-12 inch rectangle. From the remaining puff pastry, cut two 1-by-12-inch strips. Transfer rectangle and strips to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the beaten egg in a thin 1-inch strip along both long edges of the puff pastry, then place the strips of puff pastry on top. (You should have a rectangle of puff pastry with a puff pastry border down each of the long sides.) Use the back of a chef's knife or the tines of a fork to gently press the strips of puff pastry into the rectangle. Prick the pastry all over with a fork, then refrigerate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Brush the puff pastry all over with egg wash, then line the center with parchment and fill with baking weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove the parchment and baking weights. Bake until golden brown, about 3 more minutes. As soon as you pull it out of the oven, trim the edges with a knife so the layers line up, if necessary. If the center has puffed up, gently prick with a fork or toothpick to release air. Allow to cool completely.
• While the pastry bakes and cools, make the pastry cream: Combine the milk, vanilla extract, and half the sugar (using 2 tablespoons/30 grams) in a pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-low. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons/30 grams sugar and the cornstarch, then whisk in the yolks. Whisking the eggs and cornstarch continuously, carefully add 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks, and whisk well to combine. Now, whisking the hot milk mixture in the pot continuously, add the egg yolks and cornstarch mixture to the pot. Continue whisking until it thickens. (It happens fast!) Immediately remove from the heat and whisk in the softened butter until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• While pastry cream cools, make the glaze: Combine the pear purée, sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer until slightly reduced and glossy, about 3 minutes. Strain and chill.
• Transfer the puff pastry to a serving platter. Spread about 1 1/2 cups pastry cream down the center of the pastry shell. Place the sliced pear halves over the pastry cream in alternating directions. Brush each pear with a thick layer of pear glaze. Garnish any areas between the pears with toasted almonds. Dust the whole tart with confectioners' sugar just before serving.