Description
A classic French-style pear tart featuring buttery shortcrust pastry filled with silky vanilla-scented almond cream and topped with wine-poached pear halves. The pears emerge tender and fragrant, while the almond filling bakes to a golden, custardy crumb that pairs beautifully with the crisp, flaky crust.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Poached Pears:
- 3 medium ripe but firm Bosc or Anjou pears, peeled, halved, and cored
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
- 1 strip lemon zest, about 2 inches long
- For the Tart Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 to 4 tbsp ice water, as needed
- For the Almond Cream Filling:
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
- 3/4 cup finely ground blanched almond flour
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- For Assembly:
- 2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed and strained, for glazing
- 1 tbsp sliced almonds, lightly toasted, for garnish
Instructions
- Poach the pears: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, sugar, vanilla bean seeds and pod, and lemon zest. Stir occasionally until the sugar fully dissolves and the liquid reaches a gentle simmer, about 5 minutes.
- Carefully slide the peeled, halved, and cored pears into the simmering poaching liquid. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the liquid barely bubbles, and poach the pears until a paring knife inserted into the thickest part meets no resistance, about 15 to 20 minutes depending on ripeness.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the pears cool in the poaching liquid for 20 minutes so they continue to absorb flavor. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pear halves to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, and blot gently to remove excess moisture before assembling the tart.
- Make the tart crust: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the cold butter cubes and work them into the flour using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Drizzle 3 tablespoons of ice water over the flour-butter mixture and toss with a fork until the dough begins to clump. Squeeze a small handful; if it holds together, it is ready. If it remains crumbly, add the remaining tablespoon of ice water one teaspoon at a time. Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten and firm the butter.
- Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Drape the dough over a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, press it gently into the corners and up the fluted sides, and trim the excess by rolling a rolling pin across the top of the pan.
- Blind bake the crust: Line the chilled tart shell with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans, making sure the weights reach the corners. Bake until the edges are lightly golden and set, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights, then return the empty shell to the oven and bake until the bottom is dry and beginning to turn pale golden, about 8 to 10 minutes longer. Let the crust cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.
- Make the almond cream: In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed until light, fluffy, and pale yellow, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
- Add the almond flour and all-purpose flour to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until combined, about 30 seconds. The mixture should be smooth and spreadable with a soft, creamy texture. Do not overmix, as this can create a dense filling.
- Assemble the tart: Spread the almond cream evenly into the cooled tart shell using an offset spatula, smoothing the surface to create a level base. Arrange the poached pear halves cut-side down on top of the almond cream, placing the wider end of each pear near the outer edge and the narrow tip pointing toward the center so the pears fit in a radial pattern.
- Bake the tart: Place the tart on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake until the almond cream is puffed, deeply golden at the edges, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the almond cream comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. If the crust edges darken too quickly, tent them loosely with aluminum foil during the final 10 minutes.
- Cool and glaze: Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. While still warm, brush the top of the pears with the warmed, strained apricot jam using a pastry brush to create a glossy finish. Sprinkle the center with lightly toasted sliced almonds, then let the tart cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing.
- Serve: Carefully remove the tart from the pan by pushing the removable bottom upward. Slice into 4 wedges using a sharp serrated knife, wiping the blade between cuts for clean slices. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.
Notes
Store leftover tart covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place slices on a baking sheet in a 300°F / 150°C oven for 8 to 10 minutes until warmed through. The baked tart freezes well: wrap the cooled tart tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The poached pears can be made 1 day ahead and stored in their poaching liquid in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Calories: 601
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 286mg
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Carbohydrates: 72g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 129mg
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