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brown butter pear tart
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Brown Butter Pear Tart

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 35 minutes
refrigeration time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours 35 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 8 slices

Ingredients

Tart Crust

  • 1 ¼ cup All Purpose Flour
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup cold butter cut into small pieces
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Poached Pears

  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup semi-dry white wine
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 Anjou pears peeled, quarters and cored

Filling

  • 4 tablespoon butter
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour

Instructions

Tart Crust

  • Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. In a food processor, or using a pastry cutter, add butter to the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture is coarse and crumbly (about 20 pulses). Add in the egg and vanilla extract and pulse for another 20 seconds, until the dough starts to clump together, but not so long that the dough becomes a ball.
  • Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and roll into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and put into the fridge for at least an hour.
  • After an hour, take the dough out of the fridge and put it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into an 11 inch circle, then place the dough into a 9 inch tart pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, then place the dough into the freezer for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the over to 375°F. Take the dough out of the freezer, and trim the edges of the pastry to slighly longer than the tart pan. Press aluminum foil on top of the crust, covering the edges to prevent burning. On top of the foil fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans.
  • Bake the crust for 20 minutes. Remove the pie weights and foil, place the crust back into the oven and cook for another 5 minutes until the crust is golden. Set aside to cool.

Poached Pears

  • In a saucepan add the water, wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, vanilla extract and cloves. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pears to the saucepan. Cover the pan with parchment paper, then place a lid slightly smaller than the saucepan on top of the parchment paper. Cook over medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes until the pears are softened. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pears, let them cool, and then cut the quarters into smaller slices.

Filling

  • In a small skillet heat the butter over medium heat until it turns golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Pour butter into a separate bowl and set it aside.
  • In a separate medium bowl beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and salt together with an electric mixer. Add in the flour and beat it until it is smooth. Add in the browned butter and beat until it is just incorporated.
  • Pour the filling into the baked tart shell. Arrange the pear wedges in a circle around the perimeter of the tart and in the center of the tart. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake in the pre-heated oven for 45 minuted until the custard is golden brown. Cool before serving.