Orchard Pear Tart

Instructions

Prep time: 50 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour
Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves: 8-10

Tart Crust

1. Put the egg yolks, sugar, butter and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for 1-2 seconds, 10-12 times. It does not need to be smooth, only lightly blended. Add the flour and pulse quickly until just blended, but NOT smooth.
2. Remove from bowl and gently knead on lightly floured parchment by hand 2-3 times, just until it sticks together. Do not overwork or melt the butter. Gently roll on the parchment to fit a 10 inch tart pan. Transfer shell to pan on the parchment paper. Cover with plastic and chill for about 1 hour.

Filling

1. To create the custard filling, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until light brown, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk eggs with sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in the sifted flour until blended. Add the melted butter, including the brown bits clinging to the pan. Set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a large bowl of cold water mixed with lemon juice. Peel the pears using a sharp paring knife. Cut each pear in half lengthwise, remove the core and seeds and place each immediately in the lemon water to avoid discoloration. When done with the pears, gently remove each from the water and let them dry on paper towels.
4. Cut each pear half into 1/8 inch slices. Slide a narrow spatula under each pear half and transfer to the pastry-lined tart pan, fanning the slices from the center toward the edges. The final pear center may need to be trimmed to fit.
5. Pour the prepared custard filling in the empty spaces around the pears, but not on top of the fruit. The custard should only come about halfway up the side of the tart.
6. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake until the custard looks fully cooked and doesn’t jiggle, about 40-50 minutes longer. Remove tart from oven and cool completely in pan on rack.

Glaze

1. To create the glaze, heat the preserves in a small saucepan over low heat until melted. Strain to remove pieces of fruit, if any. Stir in pear wine. Brush pears in the cooled tart with a thin coat of this glaze. Finish tart presentation with a light layer of sifted powdered sugar.

**Recipe Tips**

• Serve the tart with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and warm caramel sauce for a delicious dessert.
• Many of our vendors carry a wonderful selection of jams and preserves for the glaze.