Pear Almond Tart Recipes

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10-in. circle. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. , In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar and flour; add pears and toss to coat. Spoon over the crust to within 2 in. of edges. Fold up edges of crust over filling, leaving center uncovered. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. , Bake at 450° for 15 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. Sprinkle with almonds; bake 5 minutes longer. Using the parchment, slide tart onto a wire rack to cool.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Roll out to a 14-in. circle. Transfer pastry to a 14-in. pizza pan. , In a large bowl, combine the sugar, almonds, flour, lemon zest and cinnamon. Add pears; toss to coat. Spoon over the pastry to within 2 in. of edges; dot with butter. Fold edges of pastry over pears. , For topping, beat egg white and water. Brush over pastry; sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake at 375° for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown., For glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla. Pour over warm tart. Sprinkle with almonds. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. On a floured surface, lightly flour your rolling pin, roll out 1 piece of dough into a 4-inch circle. Repeat with the remaining dough. Place on parchment lined baking sheets.
• To make almond meal, grind the almonds in a food processor, just until fine, being careful that the meal does not turn to paste. Turn the meal out into a medium bowl and add sugar, eggs, and lemon zest with a wooden spoon.
• Cut each pear in half and remove the core. Cut each half into 5 or 6 thin wedges. Divide the filling evenly over the tarts, leaving a small border around the edges. Arrange the pears in a circular pattern on the filling. Sprinkle the sugar over the pears. Bake until the pears are lightly caramelized, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spread the nuts on a baking tray and toast until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool and coarsely grind in a food processor. Do not grind too fine. Transfer to a medium bowl and combine with the flour. Set aside.
• In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and the zest. Add the flour-nut mixture and mix to combine. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a ball. Flatten the ball, making a small round, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until needed.
• Yield: about 2 1/4 pounds

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.;

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line an eight-inch tart pan with the pastry. Prick the pastry, cover it with foil and weight it down with beans or pastry weights. Bake until it takes on a parchment look, about eight minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake until it is lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Reduce heat to 350 degrees.
• While the pastry is baking, grind half a cup of the almonds in a food processor. Remove them and set aside.
• Peel, core and quarter the pears. Puree two of them in a food processor (it is not necessary to clean the food processor from the almonds) with one tablespoon lemon juice and one tablespoon of the honey. Mix with the ground almonds and set aside.
• Cut the rest of the pears in eighths and toss with remaining lemon juice.
• When the pastry has baked sufficiently, spread the pear puree in the bottom of it. Arrange the pear eighths in a pattern on the pear puree and scatter the remaining sliced almonds over the top. Drizzle with a tablespoon of the honey and dot with butter.
• Bake about 35 minutes, until the almonds and pears begin to look toasty.
• Mix the yogurt with the remaining honey. Serve the tart while it is still warm with honeyed-yogurt on the side.