Pear Tart with almond Cream

Ingredients for 8 servings:

Sweet shortcrust pastry:
- 250 g flour,
- 5 g salt,
- 25 g caster sugar,
- 125 g extra-fine butter, 
- 1 egg yolk,
- 0,05 l water, 
- 40 g flour (for rolling out),
- 10 g butter (for the tart ring).

Egg wash: 
- 1 whole egg.

Syrup:
- 0,8 l water,
- 500 g caster sugar, 
- orange or lemon zest,
- 1/2 vanilla pod.

Filling:
- 4 good quality pears (William, Doyenné du Comice, louise-bonne, Conférence) - 0,7 kg,
- half a lemon.

Almond cream:
- 100 g butter,
- 100 g caster sugar,
- 100 g ground almonds,
- 2 whole eggs,
- 10 ml vanilla (liquid extract),
- 40 ml amber rum or old rum.

Finishing:
- 40 g flaked almonds (optional),
- 100 g clear apricot glaze.

 

  1. Get the work area ready – 5 min
  • Ingredients, equipment for preparation, cooking and serving.

 

  1. Make the sweet shortcrust pastry – 15 min
  • Wrap it and set aside in refrigerated storage.

 

  1. Make the almond cream – 10 min
  • Cream the butter and sugar until smooth.
  • Add the whole eggs one by one and wisk together.
  • Add the ground almonds and wisk until smooth.
  • Flavour it with liquid vanilla and amber rum.
  • Scrape out the bowl thoroughly, cover with cling film and set aside.

 

  1. Poach the pear in syrup – 10 min (if using fresh pears)
  • Wash, peel and rub the pears in lemon juice.
  • Cut them in two and remove any woody parts along with the seeds and pericard using a potato baller.
  • Submerge them in the boiling syrup flavoured with orange and lemon zest and half a vanilla pod.
  • Cover with a sheet of baking paper and cook the pear slowly for approximatly twenty minutes.
  • Check if they are cooked.
  • Stop cooking and let the pears cool in the syrup.

 

  1. Line the tart – 10 min
  • Prick the bottom.
  • Mark and crimp the edges.

 

  1. Fill the tart – 5 min
  • Spread a thick, even layer of almond cream on the base.
  • Drain the eight pear halves.
  • Hold them carefully in place and cut them diagonally into even slices.
  • Place them on top of the cream with the base of the pear (the largest part) pointing outwards.

 

  1. Bake the tart – 5min
  • Bake it in the oven at 200/210 °c for approximatly forty minutes.
  • Remove it from the ring ten minutes before the end of the baking.
  • Brush the pastry with egg wash and finish baking, making sure the bottom is fully baked.

 

  1. Finish the tart – 5 min
  • Ensure it is fully baked and transfer it to a wire rack.
  • Coat it evenly with the apricot glaze sauce.
  • Place the tart on a round platter lined with a lace paper doily.