Best Pear Pecan Tart Recipes

PEAR-PECAN TART WITH MAPLE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• To make the ice cream, combine the milk, cream, maple syrup and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring just to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Whisking constantly and rapidly, add the milk mixture to the yolks. Pour the mixture back into the pan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes; do not let it come to a simmer. Pour into a bowl, let cool and refrigerate until cold. Stir in the vanilla. Pour into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to the directions.
• Meanwhile, to make the tart, place 1/2 cup of pecans, the flour and the salt in a food processor and pulse until the pecans are ground. Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg and pulse just until dough begins to come together. Gather dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough into a circle about 3/8-inch thick and fit it into a 10-inch tart pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or raw beans and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the paper and the weights and bake for 5 minutes more. Set aside.
• Peel, halve and core the pears. Arrange the pear halves in a circle over the crust, cut side down. Scatter the remaining pecans over and around the pears. Drizzle 1/4 cup of maple syrup over the top. Bake until the pears are soft but hold their shape, about 45 minutes, covering the top loosely with aluminum foil if the crust browns too much before the pears are done. Let cool.
• Stir together 1/4 cup of maple syrup and the Cognac. Brush the mixture over the pears. Cut into wedges and serve with a scoop of maple ice cream.

LUCIOUS AND EASY PEAR & PECAN PUFF PASTRY TART

Steps:

• Defrost the puff pastry according to the package's instructions.
• Peel, quarter, and core the pears. Cut each quarter into four slices and set aside.
• In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat and when it turns light brown, stir in the sugar. Once the sugar starts to melt, add the lemon juice, the brandy and the cinnamon (both stick and ground). Cook briefly making sure everything is well mixed. Add the pear slices to the skillet. Cook gently, basting the pears with the brown sugar mixture for about 10 minutes, depending on the ripeness of the pears. At the end of the cooking, the pears should be tender. Using a slotted spoon, lift the pears from the skillet and place them on a plate. Set them aside to cool.
• Return the brown sugar mixture to a low boil and cook it for about 2 minutes so until it is reduced to a syrup.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Remove the thawed puff pastry from the refrigerator, unroll it, and, with a sharp knife, cut a 10" or 11" circle. Score a ½" border around the circle then prick the area inside the border to prevent the tarts from puffing up too much.
• Place the puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange the pears on top of the puff pastry, fanning the slices so they resemble pear halves. Scatter the pecans around the pears. Reserve 2 TBSP. of the syrup and brush the rest on the pear slices and the pastry itself. Try to stay inside the boarder, so the puff pastry around the center stays dry. Chill tart for 15 minutes.
• Place the tray on the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush the reserved 2 TBSP. of syrup over the pears (this glaze will give them a lovely color). Cool very briefly and serve while still warm, with a dollop of ice cream.

PEAR-PECAN TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Grease and flour 12-inch pizza pan. In medium bowl, mix flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter, using fork or pastry blender, until crumbly. Press firmly and evenly against bottom and side of pan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until light brown; cool.
• In 1-quart saucepan, mix granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in orange juice and water. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; cool.
• In medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth; spread on cooled crust. Arrange pears on cream cheese. Sprinkle with pecans. Spoon orange glaze over top. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Store in refrigerator.