Recipe

Cardamom-Pear Tart with Browned-Butter Custard

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Cardamom-Pear Tart with Browned-Butter Custard

Photo by ChefJune

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe with Cardamom

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Late Winter Tart (Sweet or Savory)

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Pears
thehappycook's Testing Notes: Yum! I am a lover of tarts and this was delicious. The brown butter added a lovely nutty hue and it had just the right sweetness. The crust was very simple to make but I found it's best kneaded...
Yum! I am a lover of tarts and this was delicious. The brown butter added a lovely nutty hue and it had just the right sweetness. The crust was very simple to make but I found it's best kneaded lightly. I used a tart pan that was 9.5" not 11", and would recommend putting the tart pan on a baking sheet; butter will seep out during cooking. I agree with ChefJune about freshly-ground cardamom; I used 12 small pods to get 1/2 teaspoon. I will definitely make this again. Loved it!

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Chef
ChefJune's Notes: I learned the technique of browning the butter for the custard in a fruit tart in my first professional pastry class. Combined with the freshly ground cardamom (very important) in this pear...
I learned the technique of browning the butter for the custard in a fruit tart in my first professional pastry class. Combined with the freshly ground cardamom (very important) in this pear tart, it creates an unexpected warmth and depth of flavor. The positioning of the pears on the tart shell makes it pleasing to the eye, as well. For the crust, I have included both the “By Hand” method and the food processor method for the dough. Try them both and see which suits you best. - ChefJune

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Makes one 11-inch tart to serve about 12

Special Pâte Sucrée:

1 3/4 cup organic unbleached flour Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup organic cane sugar Ask a question about this ingredient

10 tablespoons tablespoons + 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, chilled Ask a question about this ingredient

2 extra-large egg yolks beaten lightly Ask a question about this ingredient

4 drops pure vanilla extract (I use Nielsen-Massey) Ask a question about this ingredient

3 tablespoons cold water (or as much as you need) Ask a question about this ingredient

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt Ask a question about this ingredient

1. By hand: Stir dry ingredients together with a fork. Drop in cut-up fat, and cut into flour with a pastry blender, fork, 2 knives, or with cool fingertips until fat particles are very small and thoroughly coated with flour. Gradually stir in liquid with a fork until dough holds together when squeezed with your fingertips. [It is better to add a little too much liquid than not enough since slightly wet dough is easily rectified by the addition of more flour. Dough that is too dry will crack and crumble when it is rolled out.] Gather into a ball, flatten into a disc about 3/4-inch thick, and refrigerate after wrapping well. “Resting” is necessary to allow the gluten to settle so your dough will roll out evenly and easily.
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1a. By food processor: Using metal blade, add all dry ingredients to work bowl. Process for 2 seconds to blend. Add VERY COLD cut up fat. Process with about 8 short bursts, until fat is in small pieces, evenly distributed and well coated with flour. Position liquid over feed tube, turn machine on, and gradually pour liquid in until dough begins to come together, but before it forms a ball. Prepare for refrigeration as before.
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See step 2 in the filling and assembly section.
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Filling and Assembly:

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom Ask a question about this ingredient

1 cup organic cane sugar Ask a question about this ingredient

6 tablespoons organic unbleached flour Ask a question about this ingredient

3 extra-large eggs Ask a question about this ingredient

2 tablespoons Cognac Ask a question about this ingredient

6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter --use the best quality butter you can find, melted until it's dark brown (and smells like toasted hazelnuts) Ask a question about this ingredient

2 large pears (Comice or Anjou, preferred) Ask a question about this ingredient

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt Ask a question about this ingredient

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine cardamom, sugar, flour, eggs and Cognac until well blended. Stir in browned butter. Set aside.
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Divide dough into 2 or 3 pieces if it’s still cold, and knead gently between hands until malleable. Roll the whole mass together out on a lightly floured surface. Carefully transfer into 11-inch tart pan. Refrigerate until pears are prepared.
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Peel, quarter and core pears. Slice lengthwise in 1/4-inch slices, leaving them connected -- if possible -- at the "neck" end of the pears, and gently open into a fan shape. Arrange on the chilled crust to resemble a flower petal pattern. Pour custard over pears. Bake in the preheated oven about 1 hour, or until browned. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.
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In season, red raspberries or tiny wild strawberries make a colorful garnish.
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