Free Form Apple Or Pear Tart Recipes

FREE-FORM APPLE OR PEAR TART

Steps:

• Combine flour, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse once or twice. Cut 8 tablespoons butter into chunks, and add it and egg yolk to flour mixture. Process until butter and flour are blended, about 10 seconds. Turn mixture into a bowl, and add cold water, a tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition. After adding 3 or 4 tablespoons you should be able to gather mixture into a ball; wrap ball in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or freeze for about 15 minutes).
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll or pat dough into a 10-inch circle; it can be quite crude in shape. Place it on a cookie or pizza sheet, preferably nonstick. Arrange fruit slices on top, right out to edges; make the pattern attractive, if you like. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Cut remaining butter into bits, and top fruit with it.
• Bake until crust is nicely browned and fruit is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove, and serve warm or at room temperature, with crème fraîche, whipped cream or ice cream.

HONEY-GLAZED APPLE PEAR TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with nonstick cooking spray.
• Dust a cutting board with flour and unfold the puff pastry onto it. Dust more flour over the puff pastry and gently roll out the creases. Transfer the puff pastry sheet to the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
• Using a fork, pierce a border around the edge of the puff pastry, 1/2-inch from the edges. Prick the center of the pastry as well, about 10 times all over. In a bowl, combine the sugar, and cinnamon.
• Arrange the pear, and apple slices on top of the pastry in 4 rows or diagonally, overlapping fruit slices and avoiding the border. Brush the fruit with melted butter and top with cinnamon-sugar. Bake the tart for 15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and beginning to puff.
• Brush honey over the fruit and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Serve warm with mascarpone cheese.

RUSTIC PEAR TART

Steps:

• To prepare the crust, in a medium bowl whisk together the whole-wheat pastry flour, all- purpose flour, granulated sugar and salt. Add the butter and using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until you get a pebbly, course texture. In a small bowl combine the buttermilk and ice water. Using a fork, gradually mix the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Pat the dough into a 4-inch round and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• In the meantime, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, and prepare the filling. Peel the pears, core them and cut into 1/4-inch slices. In a large bowl toss the pear slices with the lemon juice. Sprinkle in the cornstarch, brown sugar and cinnamon and toss until the pears are evenly coated. Set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a large circle about nine inches in diameter. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and draping the dough over the rolling pin, transfer to the prepared baking sheet. If the dough breaks at all patch it up with your fingers.
• Arrange the pears in a mound in the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch boarder. Fold the border over the filling. It will only cover the pears partially and does not need to be even.
• Bake the tart for 15 minutes, and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, keeping the tart in the oven all the while, and bake for another 40 minutes, until the pears are tender and the crust is golden brown.
• In a small bowl stir together the honey and boiling water to make a glaze. When the tart is done remove it from the oven and brush the honey glaze all over the top of the fruit and crust. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly. Cut into 6 wedges and serve warm or a room temperature.

FREEFORM APPLE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the apple slices, brown sugar and cinnamon and cook over medium heat until the apples begin to caramelize or begin to get glazed with the sugar and butter.
• Roll out the puff pastry in a freeform shape. Roll in the outer edge about a half inch to form a crust. Spread the warm apples on top of the pastry. Brush the crust with the lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with the granulated sugar. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden.

FREE-FORM APPLE OR PEAR TART

Steps:

• 1. Combine flour, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse once or twice. Cut 8 tablespoons butter into chunks, and add it and egg yolk to flour mixture. Process until butter and flour are blended, about 10 seconds. Turn mixture into a bowl, and add cold water, a tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition. After adding 3 or 4 tablespoons you should be able to gather mixture into a ball; wrap ball in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or freeze for about 15 minutes). 2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll or pat dough into a 10-inch circle; it can be quite crude in shape. Place it on a cookie or pizza sheet, preferably nonstick. Arrange fruit slices on top, right out to edges; make the pattern attractive, if you like. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Cut remaining butter into bits, and top fruit with it. 3. Bake until crust is nicely browned and fruit is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove, and serve warm or at room temperature, with crème fraîche, whipped cream or ice cream.