Joans Pear Tart Recipes

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.

PEAR TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Beat butter, sugar and cinnamon until crumbly. Beat in flour and walnuts. Press onto bottom and up sides of a 9-in. fluted tart pan with a removable bottom coated with cooking spray., For filling, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Spread into crust. Arrange pears over top. Mix cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over pears., Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 350°; bake until filling is set, 15-20 minutes. Cool 1 hour on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

JOAN'S PEAR TART

Steps:

• Beat the first 4 ingredients together until well blended and then add the pecans to the mixture and mix well.
• Press into an 11 inch round tart pan (use the one with a removable bottom for best presentation).
• Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla for the filling and pour over the crust.
• Arrange the drained pear halves in a pretty design on top and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes and then turn the heat down to 400 degrees and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
• Remove side from tart pan to serve.
• Serve warm and if desired garnish with whipped cream.

PEAR AND CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Place the water and lemon juice in a saucepan. Peel the pears, cut them in half and core them. As each is peeled and cored, place it in the saucepan, just covered with water.
• Add one-half cup of the sugar, bring to a simmer and cook gently about 10 minutes, until the pears are just tender. Drain the pears and place them on several thicknesses of paper towel to continue draining.
• Melt the chocolate over hot water or in a microwave oven. Beat in the butter a tablespoon at a time, then beat in the eggs.
• Mix one-third cup of the hazelnuts or almonds with the flour and the remaining sugar and stir into the chocolate mixture.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Sprinkle the remaining hazelnuts or almonds over the bottom of the baked tart shell. Cut each pear half into four thick slices and arrange the slices close together in the tart shell. Spread the chocolate mixture over the pears.
• Bake 30 minutes. Serve warm or cooled to room temperature with whipped cream on the side.

JOHN'S PEAR AND ALMOND-CREAM TART

Steps:

• Make dough: In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and granulated sugar; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, gradually add up to 2 tablespoons more ice water).
• Transfer dough (still crumbly) onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form into a 3/4-inch-thick disk; wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to a 12-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan, pressing up sides. Run a rolling pin across the top of pan to trim the edge; refrigerate.
• Make filling: In a food processor, pulse almonds with confectioners' sugar until finely ground. Add butter, egg, flour, salt, and almond extract; process almond cream until well combined.
• Spread 1/4 cup jam on bottom of tart shell, then spread almond cream on top; chill for 15 minutes. Arrange pear slices in a fan pattern over almond cream; place tart on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and almond cream is puffed and set. Transfer tart to a wire rack; let cool in pan. Remove tart from pan. Melt remaining 1/4 cup jam; brush over tart.

HASSELBACK PEAR TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Fit puff pastry into a 10-inch square tart pan with removable sides.
• Place a pear half, cut-side down, onto a work surface. Place a chopstick above and below the pear half, so the pear is framed on the top and bottom. Thinly slice the pear half lengthwise, stopping when the knife hits the chopstick and leaving the bottom 1/4 inch of the pear intact. Repeat with the remaining pear halves.
• Place hasselbacked pears in a bowl; add white sugar and lemon juice and gently toss to coat. Let hasselbacked pears stand for 5 minutes.
• Mix cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl; spread over puff pastry. Arrange hasselbacked pears over cream cheese layer, cutting some of the halves into quarters if needed to fit them in. Slightly fan out each pear and drizzle any accumulated juices from the pear bowl over pears. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over tart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crust is puffed and lightly browned and juices are bubbling, about 35 minutes. Cool tart for 15 minutes before slicing.

PEAR-BERRY BREAKFAST TARTS

Steps:

• Cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, whisk flour and baking powder; gradually beat into creamed mixture to form a dough. Divide dough in half; shape each into a rectangle. Wrap and refrigerate 1 hour., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine pears and remaining sugar. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and pears are softened, 6-8 minutes. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into pear mixture. Return to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; cool. Stir in raspberries., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough into a 15x8-in. rectangle. Cut into ten 4x3-in. rectangles. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets; spoon about 2 tablespoons filling over each pastry to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll remaining dough into a 15x8-in. rectangle; cut into ten 4x3-in. rectangles and place over filling. Press edges with a fork to seal. Whisk egg white and 1 tablespoon milk; brush over pastries. Bake until golden brown and filling is bubbly, 20-25 minutes., Remove from baking sheets to wire racks to cool. For icing, mix confectioners' sugar and enough of remaining milk to reach desired consistency; tint with food coloring if desired. Spread or drizzle on pastries.

PEAR-HAZELNUT TART

Steps:

• Grease an 8-inch tart pan.
• Combine 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, butter, egg, sugar, water, and salt in a large bowl. Quickly knead into a smooth dough. Place in a container with a lid and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. The pastry needs to be firm enough to be rolled out.
• Roll out chilled pastry on a floured work surface and fit into the prepared tart pan. Shape an edge and prick the pastry several times with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Cover the pastry with parchment paper and fill with dry beans or pastry weights. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Leave the oven on.
• Meanwhile, roast hazelnuts in a dry skillet over low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool, and chop coarsely.
• Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add cream and beat until well combined. Mix in egg and beat until batter is smooth. Spread onto the pastry. Arrange pear slices in an overlapping pattern on top of the cream and scatter hazelnuts on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until topping has set and is lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.