Today’s recipe is a combination of one of my recipes, and one by my friend Inger, who writes The Art of Natural Living. She posted a pear frangipane tart sometime before Christmas and I had been tasked with finding a Christmas dessert to go with a 1999 Château d’Yquem Sauternes (thanks, Lee!). Such a problem, with the perfect solution.
A pear frangipane tart sounded just right for such a special wine pairing. I’m grateful to Inger for the inspiration but must admit that I defaulted to my Peach Frangipane Tart for my recipe, but give her full credit for the styling. I had never made one before and would simply have plopped sliced pears on top of the frangipane, had I not seen Inger’s elegant example.
Her styling was beautiful. Inger sliced them in a way that kept their pear-shape, pressed them lightly, and splayed them into the almond mixture. It made for such a beautiful presentation.
Why didn’t I just use her recipe you ask? (She is probably asking, too.) It’s silly really. But my crust and amount of frangipane were designed for an 11-inch tart to serve 8, and hers was for a 9-inch tart serving 6. Rather than do all the math, I just used the base for my peach tart and copied Inger’s styling.
That is one of the best advantages of having a coterie of amazing foodie friends; lots of inspiration. Now, when I look for recipes, I bypass Google and go straight to my blog friends.
Why Danger for the title? It is a portmanteau of my name and Inger’s (as in Brangelina or Bennifer), but also because this tart is dangerously good. Seriously, I could eat the whole thing in one sitting. And that is dangerous.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
- 1 egg, separated
- ice water
- 2 1/2 ounces ground almonds
- 1/4 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon sugar (divided)
- 5 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
- 4 small pears
Instructions
- • The Tart Dough
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to blend. Add butter and pulse 12 times, or until bits of butter are about the size of small peas.
- Separate the egg, placing the egg yolk in a ¼-cup measure (reserve egg white); add ice water to fill the measure; stir with a fork to break up the egg yolk. Drizzle the liquid over the dry ingredients and then pulse to distribute. Then turn on the processor and run until dough almost forms a ball around the blade. Roll or press the pastry dough into an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Prick the pastry all over with a fork.
- Line the tart pastry with aluminum foil or parchment and fill with pie weights (or dried beans or rice); bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil/parchment and weights immediately and brush the hot crust with reserved egg white. Let cool before filling. (This will keep the crust from getting soggy.)
- Reduce oven heat to 375°F.
- ________________________
- • The Frangipane Filling
- In the food processor (no need to clean it after making the dough), combine the ground almonds, 1/4 cup sugar, 4 tablespoons butter, egg yolk and almond extract; process until a thick paste forms. Spread almond mixture on the prepared and cooled crust.
- __________________________
- • The Pear Topping
- Peel and halve pears, remove the stem, and then remove the seedy core with a melon baller. Slice pear halves crosswise in 3/16-inch slices, keeping the profile of the pear.
- For spacing purposes, make a small dent in the very center of the tart. Place the 8 pear halves on the frangipane with the bottom of the pears about 1/2 inch from the rim and the tops inward toward the center dent. They should be equally spaced to form an eight-sided star of sorts. Once set in, gently press down on them pushing in the direction of the center dent, but stop pressing when the top of the pear is about an inch from the dent. This will splay the pears nicely. Sprinkle pears with remaining tablespoon of sugar, dot with remaining tablespoon butter, and bake for 35 minutes, or until bubbly. Serves 8.
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Fran @ G'day Souffle
March 20, 2021 at 7:34 amI just looked up the name “Sauternes” and the description says it is a “raisened” flavored wine (among other flavors} which should match perfectly your dessert. I note your addition of an egg yolk in the pie crust- this should add a little more color to the crust as well as a little more body. You’re right about this dessert- I could also eat the entire pie in one sitting- it looks so good!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:23 amIt did have a lot of raisin, but more golden raisin (sultanas). It was a lovely pairing. And consensus is, the whole tart would not be too much of a problem for anyone.
Gerlinde
March 20, 2021 at 8:05 amThere is nothing better than a good pear tart and it easy to eat the whole thing.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:24 amI agree – reminds me very of tarts I had in Germany.
John / Kitchen Riffs
March 20, 2021 at 8:28 amWow. This is totally gorgeous. Good recipe, yes, but the eye appeal is wonderful. Sauternes sounds like a terrific pairing (heh, heh) with this, too. Super recipe — thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:24 amYou know I love a good pun, John! But it was a great pairing. Thanks for your kind words.
Jill Colonna
March 20, 2021 at 8:54 amLovely – and so beautifully presented too, David. This could be a Bourdaloue French tart! I absolutely love that you served this with a Château d’Yquem – wow! That is one incredible bottle to bake something special for.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:12 amWe were so fortunate to have that bottle, especially on from 1999! It was a gift of a friend – so glad he was able to share it with us (at 15 feet!). The tart posted just after your tart posted – mine is the country version to you Parisian!
Christina Conte
March 20, 2021 at 11:18 amThis is perfect, David! It looks like those pears completely obeyed you and stayed put whilst baking! And I can just imagine a slice of this with the sweet wine! Salivating!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:25 amThey had better have obeyed me! 🙂 It was pretty easy, actually. Using a cake server to move then to the tart shell helped!
Frank Fariello
March 20, 2021 at 1:11 pmIt does sound dangerously delicious. But also very pretty, too. I’m impressed by your artistry. I wouldn’t have the patience !
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:26 amI imagine you have a lot of patience, Frank – but am grateful for your kind thoughts!
Eha Carr
March 20, 2021 at 3:54 pmCommenting from a world where dolce rarely exists I can but admire such edible beauty created . . .the wine I have had: of far earlier years . . . appreciate how very s[special it is among st wines far, far too sweet for me . . . .so glad it proved so special for you . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:27 amI am a big fan of dessert wines with dessert. I dont like when the dessert makes a wine butter, so sweet ones work for me!
Ron
March 21, 2021 at 3:39 amDavid, I do agree with this dish being dangerous because if it was in my proximity I fear I would betray my newfound healthy lifestyle and eat the whole thing. But, luckily for me, I can savor your pear tart virtually and be free of guilt.
Also, thanks for the introduction to Inger’s blog. I’ve just jumped over to have a look and found a lovely inspiration for a seafood pasta puttanesca. Lastly, what a fantastic bottle of wine to serve with such a lovely dessert.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:28 amInger has some lovely and healthy recipes, Ron – and she is a wonderful kind person, too. Yes, stay away from this tart, my friend. 🙂
Melissa
March 21, 2021 at 11:00 amGreat styling on this tart! the recipe has some similarities to the apple frangipane galette I make in the winter (a David Lebovitz recipe), which I’ve never tried with peaches OR pears. I’ll add this one to the list for spring and summer. Oh, and I made your scallops with blood orange beurre rouge last week; they rated a wildly enthusiastic thumbs up!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:30 amI have not made Liebovitz’s recipe yet, Missy, though have eyed it. As you recommend it, it just zoomed to the top of my list.
So glad you liked the scallops. I could eat that sauce but itself with a spoon. (I think I actually did that…)
sherry
March 21, 2021 at 5:43 pmoh yes this is a very beautiful looking tart david. mm that makes me laugh for some reason … I too would have just plopped the fruit on top without a care in the world, but this turns it into a thing of beauty. i have almond meal; i really must make a frangipane tart soon!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:32 amThe nice thing avout frangipane, Sherry, is that it works with so many fruits! You are in pear season, so this recipe is perfect for you. But when summer comes, it is delightful with peaches, apricots, raspberries, and blueberries.
Easyfoodsmith
March 21, 2021 at 11:27 pmThe tart looks gorgeous and sounds so delicious!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:33 amThanks, Taruna! And special thanks for visiting Cocoa & Lavender today! Love the look of your blog – very nice to meet you!
2pots2cook
March 22, 2021 at 5:45 amThis tart really looks excellent; almonds and pears are so great together ! I would also hardly control myself with the quantity but we really must be careful with food quantities since we are under restrictions ( again ) and are very carefully planning our limited walkabouts.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:34 amYes, quarantine seems to be taking its toll on people’s waistlines. Somehow I am lucky to have lost a few pounds… not sure how! 🙂
Karen (Back Road Journal)
March 22, 2021 at 3:14 pmI too saw Inger’s tart but alas, my problem was that I only had two pears. It is times like that when I wish I still had my New England orchard with several rows of pear trees where I could just walk out and pick what I needed. The day will come, now that I have another recommendation for the tart.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:35 amI miss our pear trees in Kittery, too, Karen. ANd our raspberries and blackberries. And rhubarb… But, here I have sunshine and decent grocery stores, so I think I am still ahead!
Jeff the Chef
March 23, 2021 at 8:08 amAs usual, I’m in awe! What an elegant tart!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 23, 2021 at 9:35 amThanks, Jeff – always so kind.
Raymund
March 23, 2021 at 7:46 pmI agree thats a nice styling, to pretty to eat, my inner OCD makes me happy just by looking at this. BTW I saw that Easier Pear Frangipane Tart post from Inger as well.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 24, 2021 at 9:43 amI wish I had an “inner OCD” – mine is very exposed and “outer!” Thanks for the nice comment, Raymund!
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
March 24, 2021 at 11:52 amIt turned out beautiful David! And you did use the “danger” title :)! I have done the same thing you did–take an existing recipe but give “styling” credit. Now I have to make it again with wine 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
March 31, 2021 at 12:01 pmIt was so fun coming up with the title, Inger! Glad you like the post, and thanks again for the inspiration!
Valentina
March 26, 2021 at 11:22 amBeautiful styling indeed! I love tarts like this and I can only imagine how it’s enhanced with a sip of the wine. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
March 31, 2021 at 12:02 pmThe wine was a super nice treat, Valentina!
Gloria Roa Baker
March 26, 2021 at 4:10 pmI love this pear frangipane tart ! looks delicious !
We have here pears trees but only sometimes I dont have time to all we have to do.
Today I will begin to make some quince jam is a recipé of a friend of mine you have to cook before and then make the jam. My chilean gran mom always make quince jam (membrillos)
Hope you both have a nice weekend and take care !! hugs
Cocoa & Lavender
March 31, 2021 at 12:02 pmWhen we lived in Maine, Gloria, we had pear trees that only bore fruit every 5 years… We loved it when they did! Hope you are having a good week!
The-FoodTrotter
April 2, 2021 at 1:36 pmWe often made this pie when I was giving cooking classes. It can also be called bourdaloue or tarte amandine aux poires. Very old school but delicious when it is done properly. Your pie looks very neat and definitely delicious 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
April 22, 2021 at 7:41 amIt was always a favorite of mine from the pâtisseries in Paris…
Une recette d'accords sucrés pour la tarte aux poires et à la frangipane - Blog Voyage
October 20, 2021 at 8:20 am[…] La recette d’aujourd’hui est une combinaison d’une de mes recettes et d’une de mon amie Inger, qui écrit The Art of Natural Living. Elle a posté une tarte aux poires et frangipane un peu avant Noël et j’avais été chargé de trouver un dessert de Noël pour accompagner un Sauternes Château d’Yquem 1999 (merci, Lee !). Un tel problème, avec la solution parfaite. […]
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