#Old pear tart recipe easy full

Divide dough in half and shape each half into a 6″ disk. Knead just until dough starts to hold together (about 10 times). Using a fork, quickly stir in 1/2 cup ice water. With a pastry cutter or two knives, cut butter and shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles pea-size pieces. Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. very cold butter, cut into small piecesħ Tbs. Cut the butter into cubes and freeze for at least 15 minutes.Ģ 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use organic whenever possible)ħ Tbs. The secret to a flaky pie crust is very cold butter. Optional: Dust the tart with confectioners’ sugar just before serving Put the tart on a lined baking sheet, place the sheet into the oven and bake the tart 50 minutes, or until the pecan paste puffs up around the pears. Press down on the top of the pears to fan them.

#Old pear tart recipe easy full

Continue with the rest of the pear halves or until the tart is full of pears. Slide a spatula under half of a pre-sliced pear, then gently slide the fruit on top of the paste. Spread the pecan paste on the bottom of the pre-baked pie crust. Scrape mixture into a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. To make the Candied Pecan Paste: Put the pecans, butter, sugar, flour, cornstarch and egg in a food processor (or Vitamix) and process until the mixture is smooth and creamy. unsalted butter, at room temperatureġ pre-baked 9-inch pie crust, at room temperature (basic recipe below) I hope you have as much fun baking this tart as I did!ģ to 4 medium, very ripe pears, peeled, cored and sliced thinġ cup ground candied pecans (recipe below)Ĥ Tbs. Hand-me-down recipes are the best because they’re filled with lots of wisdom and love over the years. Arrange the pears anyway you like to create a beautiful design – and your tart is ready to bake. Spread the pecan paste evenly on the cooled tart crust. Be sure to slice them evenly – if you have a slicer like the one in my photo, it will make your job a lot easier. Once the pears are peeled, rub them with lemon to prevent discoloration. While the pie crust cools and the pecan paste sets in the refrigerator, go to work peeling, coring and slicing the pears. Once you have it just right, cover and set in the refrigerator until firm (about 30 minutes). It’s a good idea to taste the candied pecan paste so you will know if you need to adjust the seasonings or not. I found this worked better than a food processor and it’s really easy to clean. I chopped the candied pecans in the Vitamix, then I added the rest of the ingredients all at once and combined them using a very slow speed. Let the pie crust cool completely before adding the pecan paste. To prevent your pie dough from losing its shape, cover with foil before you bake it. Pre-bake your crust to avoid a tart with a soggy bottom. Here are Jenny’s step-by-step tips for a perfect pear tart:īefore you begin, make sure all your ingredients are measured, organized and in one place. Mostly, just have fun – and enjoy your time in the kitchen.” Get creative with lots of different kitchen tools and techniques (for example, I love playing with our Vitamix blender). Jenny’s advice to fellow kid bakers: “Experiment with new recipes – and don’t be afraid to make up your own. “Substituting candied pecans for the classic almond paste is my idea – so I guess our family has a new recipe now! I made the tart crust the way my mom does, with a traditional pie crust, not the sweet buttery crust you find in classic French pastry tarts.” It’s made from a combination of various family recipes that have been handed down over the years from my great grandmas.” I’ve been dreaming about this tart ever since pears started showing up in the markets last month. “It’s also really cool to take a family recipe and make it truly your own. It seems magical that you can begin with a bunch of separate ingredients and end up with an amazing finished product,” Jenny says. “The thing I love most about baking is creating things from scratch. To keep traditions going, Jenny teaches other young cooks and bakers at Chow Bella Kids and through the DooF kids’ food writing program. Jenny’s instincts go back generations: her mom is a cooking teacher and her great-grandmothers’ tin recipe boxes are alive with sweet inspiration. Her goal is to put an original spin on her family’s famous “hand-me-down” tart: a recipe that calls for perfect pears, a dash of imagination and lots of love.

Lately, she’s been exploring farmers’ markets in search of the ultimate fall fruit. (Jenny baked her first cookies at the age of three and plans to keep at it until she’s at least 103.) Some kids are born with the generous heart and intuitive hands of a true baker – and my friend Jenny is one of them.Īt 15 years old, she’s been baking for most of her life. This post comes to us courtesy of writer and Williams-Sonoma creative consultant Laura Martin Bacon.