Pear & Honey Custard Tart

“This tart is really easy to prepare, but it is so beautiful that your guests will think it took you all day. We often feature it as our special in the café, where the tarts sweet almond crust has a loyal following.” —Leslie Mackie

Makes 1 (10-inch) tart

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spread almonds on rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool, then finely grind in food processor. Set aside for garnishing the tart.

Using your fingers, press the Sweet Almond Dough (see recipe below) into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Form an even crust, about 1/8 inch thick, over the bottom and all the way up the sides of the pan. (It’s important that the crust be the same thickness on the bottom and the sides.) Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line the chilled tart shell with a piece of parchment paper and fill it with pie weights. Bake on center rack of oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Carefully remove the paper and pie weights and set tart shell aside to cool. Leave the oven on.

Combine wine and sugar in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Gently place pears in the hot wine, rounded sides down and poach for 7 to 10 minutes, or until pears are fork tender. Remove pears with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Continue simmering the poaching liquid until it has reduced by half its volume, then set it aside to use as a glaze on the finished tart.

Combine cream, honey, eggs, flour, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a mixing bowl and mix well with a whisk.

Place cooled, pre-baked tart shell on rimmed baking sheet. Slice the poached pears in half again lengthwise and arrange them in the bottom of the tart shell. (At the Macrina Bakery we like to spread the slices out in a fan-like pattern.) Pour the custard filling over the pears, filling the shell to just below the top. Place baking sheet on center rack of oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until custard is set and golden brown. Let the tart cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan.

Warm the reduced wine glaze over low heat until it thins, then brush the surface of the tart with a little glaze. Sprinkle ground almonds around the outer edge.

Sweet Almond Dough

This cookie-like dough is easy to make and even easier to work with. Makes enough dough for 1 (10-inch) tart.

Spread almonds on rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool, then finely grind in a food processor. Measure out 2 tablespoons of ground almonds and set aside. (the remaining ground almonds will not be needed.)

Combine 2 tablespoons of the ground almonds, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl and mix with a wooden spoon. Ina separate bowl, mix together vanilla extract, almond extract, and melted butter. Add butter mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until coarse and crumbly, using your hands to break up any large lumps. The finished dough will stick together when squeezed between your thumb and forefinger.

Pacific Chef

1210 11th Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
360-676-1199

In Historic Fairhaven next door to the Colophon Cafe

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