Best Christmas Pear Tart Recipes

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PEAR TART



Pear Tart image

My sister-in-law brought this pretty pastry to dinner one night, and we all went back for seconds. It is truly scrumptious. -Kathryn Rogers, Suisun City, California

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 40m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 12

3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
FILLING:
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 can (15 ounces) reduced-sugar sliced pears, drained well and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 199 calories, Fat 9g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 36mg cholesterol, Sodium 112mg sodium, Carbohydrate 25g carbohydrate (18g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 4g protein. Diabetic Exchanges

SPICED PEAR TART



Spiced Pear Tart image

Gently spiced poached pears, vanilla pastry cream and flaky puff pastry are the stars of this sophisticated dessert that was created for the 2019 NYT Food Festival by Rachel Gaylord, the pastry chef at La Mercerie in New York. Ideally, this delicate tart should be eaten the day it's made, so if you're planning to serve this at a dinner party, make all of the components in advance and assemble the tart just before your guests arrive. Leftovers, if you have any, should be stored in the refrigerator and brought to room temperature before serving. The pastry will have lost some of its flakiness, but it will still be delicious. (This adaptation mercifully calls for store-bought puff pastry, but if you're feeling ambitious, you can make your own.)

Provided by Margaux Laskey

Categories     pies and tarts, dessert

Time 2h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 1/4 cups/250 grams granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 to 6 star anise pods
2 semi-ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
1 sheet store-bought puff pastry (about 8.5 ounces)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup/240 milliliters whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup/60 grams granulated sugar
3 tablespoons/25 grams cornstarch
4 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 tablespoons/25 grams unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup pear purée or applesauce
1/4 cup/50 grams granulated sugar
1/2 cup/50 grams toasted sliced almonds, for garnish (see Tip)

Steps:

  • Poach the pears: Combine 2 cups/480 milliliters water, sugar, vanilla extract and star anise pods in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Place the pears in the poaching liquid and cover with a lid. Keep just below a simmer and cook until the pears are tender, about 40 minutes depending on the ripeness of the pears. Remove the pears from the liquid to a plate and cool completely. Slice each pear half crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Set aside.
  • While the pears poach and cool, make the pastry: Trim a sheet of puff pastry to one 4 1/2-by-12 inch rectangle. From the remaining puff pastry, cut two 1-by-12-inch strips. Transfer rectangle and strips to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
  • Using a pastry brush, brush the beaten egg in a thin 1-inch strip along both long edges of the puff pastry, then place the strips of puff pastry on top. (You should have a rectangle of puff pastry with a puff pastry border down each of the long sides.) Use the back of a chef's knife or the tines of a fork to gently press the strips of puff pastry into the rectangle. Prick the pastry all over with a fork, then refrigerate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • Brush the puff pastry all over with egg wash, then line the center with parchment and fill with baking weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove the parchment and baking weights. Bake until golden brown, about 3 more minutes. As soon as you pull it out of the oven, trim the edges with a knife so the layers line up, if necessary. If the center has puffed up, gently prick with a fork or toothpick to release air. Allow to cool completely.
  • While the pastry bakes and cools, make the pastry cream: Combine the milk, vanilla extract, and half the sugar (using 2 tablespoons/30 grams) in a pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-low. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons/30 grams sugar and the cornstarch, then whisk in the yolks. Whisking the eggs and cornstarch continuously, carefully add 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks, and whisk well to combine. Now, whisking the hot milk mixture in the pot continuously, add the egg yolks and cornstarch mixture to the pot. Continue whisking until it thickens. (It happens fast!) Immediately remove from the heat and whisk in the softened butter until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  • While pastry cream cools, make the glaze: Combine the pear purée, sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer until slightly reduced and glossy, about 3 minutes. Strain and chill.
  • Transfer the puff pastry to a serving platter. Spread about 1 1/2 cups pastry cream down the center of the pastry shell. Place the sliced pear halves over the pastry cream in alternating directions. Brush each pear with a thick layer of pear glaze. Garnish any areas between the pears with toasted almonds. Dust the whole tart with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

RUSTIC PEAR TART



Rustic Pear Tart image

Provided by Ellie Krieger

Categories     dessert

Time 2h10m

Yield 6 servings, serving size 1 wedge

Number Of Ingredients 14

1/2 cup whole-grain pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons lowfat buttermilk
3 tablespoons ice water
3 medium pears
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon boiling water

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 WITH COGNAC GLAZE



Pear Tart with Cognac Glaze image

This simple, sophisticated tart glistens with an apricot-Cognac glaze. Martha made this recipe on Martha Bakes, episode 505.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Pie & Tarts Recipes

Yield Makes one 14-inch tart

Number Of Ingredients 7

18 ounces frozen all-butter puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator
All-purpose flour, for dusting
5 to 6 Bosc pears, peeled, halved, and cored
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 large egg
1/4 cup apricot jam
1 teaspoon Cognac

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in the lower third. Unfold (if necessary) puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Working quickly, roll out dough to a 17-by-13-inch rectangle, slightly less than 1/8 inch thick. Cut off a 1-inch wide strip from each side; set aside
  • Transfer puff pastry to a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Lightly brush a 1-inch border of water around the edges of the pastry. Score strips firmly, without cutting all the way through, in a zigzag pattern with a paring knife. Lay pastry strips on edges to create a border. Trim strips to fit, overlapping at corners. Press gently to adhere. Transfer to freezer for 10 minutes.
  • Thinly slice pears crosswise, and brush with lemon juice to prevent browning.
  • Within the borders of the pastry, use the tines of a fork to poke pastry all over, to prevent it from rising. Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush borders with egg glaze. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons sugar evenly within the borders of the pastry. Top with pear slices arranging in rows, filling in any holes with chopped pears. Press gently to flatten slightly. Sprinkle pears with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Freeze again for 10 minutes.
  • Bake tart for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 375 degrees, and continue to bake until crust is puffed and deep golden brown and pears are tender, about 1 hour. If dough under pears begins to rise, use the tip of a paring knife to allow any air to escape. Transfer tart to a wire rack, and let cool completely.
  • Heat jelly with Cognac in a small saucepan until melted, stirring until smooth. Brush over pears. Serve the tart at room temperature.

PEAR FRANGIPANE TART



Pear Frangipane Tart image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Pie & Tarts Recipes

Yield Makes one 10-inch tart

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/2 recipe Pate Brisee for Pear Frangipane Tart
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling dough
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 cup finely ground blanched almonds
3 tablespoons dark rum
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 White Wine-Poached Pears in 1/2 cup poaching liquid, cooled

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Fit into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and fold over to make a double-thick edge. Roll rolling pin over edge of tart pan to trim dough, and pierce bottom of dough all over with a fork. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
  • Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg, ground almonds, rum, almond extract, and flour; beat until smooth. Spread the thick mixture evenly in chilled tart shell and refrigerate while preparing pears.
  • Remove cooled poached pears from poaching liquid and cut in half lengthwise, removing the core and stem. Reserve poaching liquid. Place each half, cut side down, on a cutting board, and cut crosswise into thin slices. Arrange sliced pear halves on frangipane filling around edge of tart, leaving space between each half, and place one half in center of tart. When arranging pears, try to "pull" slices toward center of tart, which will elongate pears a bit and fill the shell better than if the pears were just placed flat. Bake for 10 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees, and bake until tart shell is golden brown and frangipane has puffed and browned, 25 to 35 minutes more.
  • While tart is baking, bring reserved poaching liquid to a boil and reduce by half. Brush this glaze lightly over pears immediately after removing tart from oven. Serve at room temperature.

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