Pie and Pastry Bible (74 page)

The pears can be used immediately, but they develop more flavor if allowed to sit in the poaching liquid for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days. Transfer the pears and their liquid to a bowl small enough so that the pears are covered with liquid. Cover it tightly and refrigerate until ready to use.

MAKE THE ALMOND CREAM FILLING

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, place the almonds, sugar, and flour and process until the almonds are very fine. Empty the mixture into a bowl and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Beat in about ½ cup of the nut mixture until incorporated. Beat in 1 egg along with another ½ cup of the nut mixture. Then beat in the second egg along with the remaining nut mixture
until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla. Refrigerate until about 10 minutes before assembling the tart.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. at least 15 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack at the middle level before preheating.

ASSEMBLE THE TART

Drain the pears well on paper towels, rounded sides up, reserving the poaching liquid and vanilla bean. Using a thin sharp knife, slice each pear crosswise into
thin slices, without slicing all the way through to the bottom. Press gently on top of each pear to fan the slices slightly.

Spread the almond cream evenly in the cooled baked tart shell.

Use a triangular tart cutter or pancake turner to lift each pear and position it on top of the almond cream, pointed ends facing in and meeting at the center.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the almond cream puffs slightly, surrounding the pears, and turns golden brown. When pressed very lightly with a fingertip, the almond cream will spring back. Remove the tart to a wire rack to cool.

MAKE THE GLAZE

Measure out ¾ cup of the poaching syrup. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the syrup.

In a small saucepan, or a 4-cup heatproof liquid measure in a microwave on high (about 10 minutes), reduce the syrup to ¼ cup. Cool to room temperature.

Add the cassava, arrowroot, or cornstarch to the reduced poaching liquid. Stir until dissolved; then cook briefly over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and translucent. With arrowroot, this will happen before the liquid comes to a boil; with cassava, the liquid must come to a full boil and simmer for a few seconds; with cornstarch, the liquid must reach a full boil and simmer for about 20 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately pour the glaze into a small cup. Use a clean artist’s brush or pastry feather to coat the pears well with glaze. Brush the remaining glaze onto the almond filling.

Unmold the tart (see page 251) and serve. The center will be slightly creamy.

STORE

Room temperature, up to 1day; refrigerated, up to 3 days; allow the tart to come to room temperature before serving. (The almond cream can be made ahead and refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for 1 month.)

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

The parchment keeps the tops of the pears moistened while cooking and cooling and prevents browning from oxidation (exposure to air).

The tart shell must be fully baked to ensure that even the bottom stays crisp after baking with the almond cream.

To prevent separation while mixing, the butter and eggs for the almond cream must not be cold.

A trick to ensure that, when slicing the pears, the knife will not go all the way through is to place two thin pieces of cardboard on either side of the pear so that the knife blade cannot quite reach the slicing surface.

If a 3-inch pear is available, poach it with the other pears, slice it, and place it in the center. During baking, the pears will shrink, making space for it.

APPLE TART WITH WALNUT CREAM

A
pple and walnut have a natural affinity the way pear and almond do. In this tart, the apples are poached, sliced, and set into the walnut cream, which is encased in flaky pastry. A light touch of cinnamon, added to the poaching syrup for the apples and the walnut cream, adds yet another compatible dimension. The tiny vanilla seeds in the glaze made from the reduced poaching syrup lend a natural and lovely design element when brushed on the apples.

EQUIPMENT

A 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom