Pear Frangipane Tart
Description
This pear frangipane tart with spiced poached pears and fluffy almond frangipane in a sweet pastry crust makes a delicious and elegant French dessert.
Ingredients
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4 cups water
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1 cup white sugar
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2 tablespoons honey
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1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
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1 cinnamon stick
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5 pods cardamom, crushed
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4 Conference pears - peeled, halved, and cored
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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
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1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
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1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
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1 egg yolk
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2/3 cup white sugar
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1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
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3/4 cup ground blanched almonds
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1 egg
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1 egg white
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2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon cornstarch
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2 teaspoons almond extract
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1
To poach the pears: Combine water, 1 cup white sugar, honey, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, and cardamom in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add pears; reduce heat and simmer until pears are translucent or easily pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
2
To make the pastry: Combine 1 ½ cups flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon butter until mixture is crumbly. Mix in egg yolk until dough sticks together in large clumps.
3
Grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough evenly into the pan. Freeze for 30 minutes. Reserve leftover dough for patching cracks.
4
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
5
Grease the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil with butter; place butter-side down over the pastry. Transfer tart pan to a baking sheet.
6
Bake in the preheated oven, using leftover dough to patch any cracks, until dough looks dry and light brown, about 20 minutes. Peel off aluminum foil; let pastry cool.
7
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
8
To make the frangipane: Combine 2/3 cup white sugar and 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in ground almonds. Add egg, egg yolk, 2 teaspoons flour, and cornstarch; beat until frangipane is smooth. Beat in almond extract and vanilla extract.
9
Spread frangipane evenly over pastry. Drain pear halves and dry with paper towels. Cut lengthwise into even slices. Place 1 pear half on a spatula and gently fan out slices; arrange on top of frangipane. Repeat with remaining pear halves.
10
Bake in the preheated oven until frangipane is firm to the touch, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.