Hot Pear And Almond Charlotte Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the pear slices in a large saute pan with 2/3 cup sugar, the salt, pear liqueur, and lemon juice. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the pears are soft. Set aside to cool.
• Place the butter, the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar, and the cinnamon in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream the mixture until it is smooth.
• Butter each piece of brioche with the cinnamon butter. With the long side of the bread closest to you, cut each slice into 3 pieces. Line the sides of the ramekins with the brioche pieces, buttered-side against the ramekin.
• Compactly fill the inside of each ramekin with about 1/4 cup of the pear mixture. Trim off any brioche that sticks up above the ramekin.
• Bake the charlottes for 15 to 20 minutes, until the brioche is toasted.
• Spoon some of the vanilla custard sauce on 4 plates, and unmold the charlottes on top.
• Top each with a dollop of creme fraiche.
• Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a stainless steel mixing bowl until
• creamy. Set aside.
• Put the milk and the vanilla extract or vanilla bean in a heavy-bottomed saucepot. Scald the milk, and slowly whisk it into the egg mixture. Put the bowl over a pot of simmering water and cook the custard, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken. It should coat the back of the wooden spoon. Do not let it boil.
• Cool the custard sauce over an ice bath. Strain and refrigerate until ready to use. Custard sauce will keep for 2 days in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Place a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until the sugar is melted and golden. Immediately add the pears and cook, stirring gently, until the pears are very soft, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the almonds, liqueur, cinnamon, ginger and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and use a pastry brush to coat the interior of an 8-cup charlotte mold. Dust the bottom and sides with sugar.
• Stack 6 slices of bread and cut the stack in half diagonally with a sharp knife. Cut each half again, diagonally, to make 24 triangles. Dip each triangle in butter and use 12 of them to line the bottom of the mold, narrow ends meeting in the center and each piece overlapping slightly.
• Cut the remaining bread slices into strips about 1 1/2 inches wide. Dip each in butter and arrange the strips around the sides of the mold, overlapping them slightly. Pour 1/2 of the pear mixture into the mold and press it down lightly. Lay the remaining 12 triangles on top, and pour the remaining pear mixture into the mold.
• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Invert onto a platter. Slice and serve hot with vanilla custard sauce (recipe follows).

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl cream butter with sugar until fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in egg. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Mix in brandy and vanilla. Add almond and all-purpose flours. Mix until creamy. Cover and refrigerate. Place almond filling into tart shell, spread level. Cut poached pear halves crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Reshape pear halves and arrange 8 halves around the top of each tart, "spoke" fashion. Press pears lightly to fan out. Bake for 40 minutes or until top is well browned and filling is springy to the touch. Cool and serve at room temperature.
• Note: To poach pears, peel, core and halve pears, place in a pot with 1 3/4 cups white wine, 3/4 cup water, 4 ounces of sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, vanilla bean split, and 4 black pepper corns. Bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer, cook for 30 minutes or until pears are tender when pricked. Cool in liquid.
• In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar and salt, cut in butter until it resembles small pebbles. With a mixer running add vanilla and slowly drizzle in water until dough comes together in a sticky mass. Roll into a ball, wrap and chill at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours before rolling. Roll shell to fit into a 9-inch tart pan. Set aside.;