Pear and almond tart

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Pear and almond tart
 
Author:
Makes: 12 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
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Ingredients
Pastry
  • 200 gr plain flour
  • 2 gr salt
  • 100 gr cold butter
  • 80 gr white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbspn cold water
Frangipane filling
  • 125 gr butter
  • 125 gr white sugar
  • 125 gr ground almonds
  • 50 gr plain flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 pears
  • 75 gr flaked almonds
Garnish
  • 2 tbspn apricot jam
  • 1 tbspn boiling water
Instructions
Pastry
  1. Mix the flour, sugar and salt. Dice the butter. Rub the butter in the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  2. Add the eggs and just enough cold water until the dough is just moist enough to stick together. Gather the dough together and gently press it into a disc.
  3. Wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes to firm up before rolling out.
  4. On a floured surface, roll out the pastry and line bottom and sides of the tart or pie pan. Roll your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry.
  5. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to chill the butter. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  6. With the tines of a fork, prick the bottom of the dough (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Line the unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminium foil.
  7. Fill with pie weights, uncooked rice or beans and bake the case for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the crust is just dry and lightly browned.
  8. Remove weights and foil and cool the crust in the tin on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
Frangipane filling
  1. To make the frangipane filling, cream the soft butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the ground almonds, flour and eggs. Mix to combine. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  2. Spread the frangipane mixture evenly in the pastry case.
  3. Peel the pears, core and cut in half. Sit the pears halves on the filling likes the spokes of a wheel and gently press them down.
  4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the filling is set and golden-brown and the pastry is cooked.
Finish
  1. Toast the flaked almonds until golden in a dry pan.
  2. Mix the apricot jam with the hot water and brush it on the tart to give it a glossy finish. Garnish with the toasted almond flakes. Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack before serving.
Stuff to know
This quantity will feed 12 people and makes a tart with a 26 cm Ø.
It is easier to crumble the butter in the flour when it is cold.
Resting and refrigerating the dough makes rolling it out easier. It is less sticky.
Prebake the pastry case to keep it from becoming soggy. Use uncooked rice or beans to weigh the pastry down. You can't eat them anymore but they can be reused for this same purpose.

 

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