Monday, October 14, 2013

Rosie Makes A Pear Tart!

A few days ago,
one of our across-the-canal neighbors, Gervais,
gave us a ringie-dingie.
His pear tree was having a particularly good year
and did we want any pears?
Mr. Hawthorne drove over and came back 
with a five-gallon bucket full of beautiful just-picked pears.


If you recall,
I made a wonderfully satisfying pear sauce.
Soft and comforting.
The coolness and the smoothness and the crispness
of the pear sauce against the warm buttered toast
just hit my spot.

I'm heading into dessert territory now, with more pears.

 I know.
It looks slightly charred,
but it's all good.
Those are the dried apricots.
You may want to brush a little melted butter on top
and tent your tart near the end.



 Today, I'm using the pears to make an Pear and Almond Tart.

 
Pear and Almond Tart

1/2 cup almonds
1/2 sugar
 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
plus extra to grease a 9-inch springform pan
1 large egg
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 pears, peeled, cored, and cut into eighths
juice of 1 lemon
1 TB sugar

1/2 dried apricots, chopped
1/4 apricot preserves
1 TB hot water

Heat oven to 350°.
Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
Combine the juice of one lemon and 1 TB sugar.
Peel, core, and slice pears.
As you cut the pears,
toss the slices in the lemon and sugar  mixture.
Process almonds and 1/2 cup sugar until finely ground.
Add butter, egg, and extract.
Process until smooth.
Add flour, baking powder, and salt.
Pulse a few times to combine.
Press evenly into bottom of prepared pan.
Arrange the pears in the dough.
Sprinkle apricots over top,
pressing lightly into dough.
Bake until pears are tender, about 50-60 minutes.
Combine preserves and hot water
and brush over tart while still hot.
Let cool before opening pan.


Lookie!
I bartered a jar of Mr. Hawthorne's sourwood honey
for a jar of Outer Banks SeaSalt.
I even got free delivery.
Thanks, Amy!

I sliced my cored and peeled pears
into eighths and dropped each slice
into a mixture of lemon juice and sugar.

Process almonds and 1/2 cup sugar until finely ground.

Add softened butter, egg, and almond extract.
Process until smooth.

Add in flour, baking powder, and salt.

Pulse a few times to combine.

Spread evenly in buttered springform pan.
I use plastic wrap and a mini-rolling pin.


Press pear slices into dough.

Sprinkle chopped dried apricot slices over top.

Bake in a 350° open about 55 minutes,
or until pears are tender.

Pour apricot preserves mixture over top.

Brush the preserves evenly across the top.


Let cool.

When cool, release from pan.

 Everybody loved this.

 The apricot glaze is a nice touch - very flavorful.


 And that nutty crust is the best!
Enjoy!
Those pears are the best.
Still have a slight crunch to them,
even after being cooked.







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