Seckel Pear Tart With Poire William Cream Recipes

Steps:

• Make cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-by-12-inch baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter lining; then flour pan, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; cream on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of milk. On low speed, mix in 1/4 cup brandy and the pear and nuts.
• Pour batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Bake until golden brown and springy to the touch, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Invert cake to unmold; peel off parchment. Using a long serrated knife, trim off sides of cake. Cut cake crosswise into quarters (each about 2 1/2 inches wide). Split quarters horizontally into 3 strips each (to make 12 strips total).
• Cut 10 strips crosswise into 6 (1/2-by-2 1/2-inch) rectangles. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 6 rounds from remaining 2 strips.
• Line 6 charlotte molds (4 inches in diameter and 2 1/4 inches high) or 10-ounce ramekins with overlapping strips, standing them vertically (about 10 strips per mold). Press 1 round onto bottom of each mold. Using remaining 1/2 cup brandy, brush cake in molds.
• Make filling: Puree pear and brandy in a food processor; set aside. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Heat milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until just about to simmer.
• Whisk together yolks, sugar, and salt. Pour half of hot milk into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Add yolk mixture to the remaining hot milk in pan; whisk. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl set in ice-water bath. Let cool, stirring occasionally.
• Beat cream to soft peaks; set aside. Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a medium heatproof bowl. Let stand 1 minute to soften. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir gelatin mixture into custard in ice-water bath. Stir in pear puree.
• Whisk mixture in bowl in bath until it thickens to a puddinglike consistency. Whisk in whipped cream. Divide mixture among molds (about 1/2 cup per mold). Cover with plastic wrap directly on surfaces; refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Run a knife around edges of charlottes; invert onto plates. Serve cold.

Steps:

• Dulce de leche and dough
• If making the dulce de leche, place unopened can of condensed milk on its side in a large pot; pour in room-temperature water to cover by at least 2". Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer, adding water as needed to maintain water level, 3 hours. Let cool in pot in water, 40-60 minutes. Remove can from pot and chill 12 hours before opening.
• Combine granulated sugar, salt, and 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour in a large wide bowl. Add butter and toss until generously coated. Using your fingers smash butter into thin disks, tossing with flour as you go. Work until all the butter has been smashed and coated (irregular pieces of butter produce a flakier crust). Sprinkle vinegar and 1 Tbsp. ice water over and toss with a wooden spoon until just combined (the spoon prevents the butter from warming too quickly). Add another 3 Tbsp. ice water a tablespoonful at a time, stirring after each addition until water is absorbed. Using your hands , continue to work in water by the tablespoonful just until mixture holds together when squeezed in your hand, 2-4 Tbsp. more.
• Turn mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead until a dough forms (be careful not to overwork). If dough is too dry, sprinkle with a few drops of water; if too sticky, work in a little more flour. Roll dough to about an 8x5" rectangle, then fold in half crosswise. Roll back out to an 8x5" rectangle, dusting surface as needed, and fold again. Repeat rolling out and folding 2 more times. Divide dough in half. Tightly wrap each half in plastic or parchment paper and gently form into 1"-thick disks (you'll only need 1 for the tart). Chill at least 1 hour.
• Do ahead: Unopened dulce de leche can be made 3 months ahead; keep chilled. Opened dulce de leche can be made 3 weeks ahead; transfer to an airtight container and chill. Dough can be made 3 days ahead; keep chilled, or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature 1-2 hours or in the fridge overnight before using.
• Filling and assembly
• Place a rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 375°. Let a disk of dough sit 5 minutes at room temperature. Line a 9" or 10"-diameter tart pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface, rotating often and dusting as needed to prevent sticking, to ¼" thick. Fold dough in half and transfer to prepared pan . Unfold and lift edges so dough slumps down into corners. Gently press dough into pan with the back of your index finger. Trim pastry with kitchen shears or a paring knife to a 1" border. Fold excess over into pan and press double layer into sides of pan. Prick bottom of tart a few times with a fork. Chill while you prepare the filling. For a decorative crust like in the photo, see chef's note at the end of the recipe.
• Pour lemon juice onto a large rimmed plate or into a shallow bowl. Working one at a time, hold stem of each pear and cut vertically into 4 pieces, working your way around the core; discard core. Set pieces cut side down and slice lengthwise ¼" thick, keeping slices in groups. Place in lemon juice to prevent cuts sides from browning.
• Combine granulated sugar, flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, and ½ tsp. salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle mixture evenly over dough and dot all over with frozen butter. Fan each group of pears in crust in alternating directions.
• Whisk egg, a pinch of salt, and 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl to combine. Brush edges of pastry with egg wash and sprinkle 2-3 Tbsp. raw sugar in an even layer over pears and crust. Place tart on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling slightly, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Remove tart from pan by lifting parchment and transfer to a cutting board or large plate.
• To serve, cut tart into slices and transfer to plates. Open dulce de leche and drizzle some over each slice if desired.
• Do ahead: Tart can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature, or cover and chill up to 4 days.
• Chef's note: For a decorative crust, roll out dough scraps to ⅛"-¼" thick on a lightly floured surface and chill 5 minutes. Generously flour surface and pastry and cut into decorative shapes with pie cutters or small cookie cutters. Gently press around edges of tart as desired. Brush tops of cutouts with egg wash to help them stick and freeze tart 1 hour (cutouts will keep their shape best during baking if they are frozen solid) then continue to fill and bake as instructed. If cutouts brown too much before tart is done, cover individually with small pieces of foil.