Elegant Mincemeat Pear Tart Food

CHRISTMAS PEAR TART

Steps:

• To make the syrup, place all the ingredients in a pan with 150ml water, then bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 mins until the fruit is softened, then remove the vanilla pod and blend to a smooth purée with a hand-held blender. Strain through a sieve. Allow to cool.
• Extend the pastry by rolling out on a lightly floured surface, so it is big enough to cut out a 30cm circle. Lay the pastry circle on a baking tray. Mix all the filling ingredients together. Spoon the mincemeat filling into the centre of the pastry (no more than 10cm diameter), creating a dome shape. Brush the edges of the pastry with water and gather all together to create a 'bag' effect. Press the pastry lightly together to seal well, keeping it fairly loose.
• Lay a greased baking tray on top, then turn the two trays over. Remove the top tray, and lightly roll the 'bag' with a rolling pin to create a flat round pastry disc, about 18cm across. Brush the pastry with the egg white, then sprinkle with the granulated sugar. Score 3-4 lines with a sharp knife in the centre, then chill for 15-20 mins. The tart can be made ahead and chilled for up to 2 hrs. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown and crispy.
• Now finish it in style: Sit the tart on a plate and decorate with sprigs of holly sifted with icing sugar. Serve warm, in slices, with a little custard, cream or ice cream and the pear and raisin syrup.

ELEGANT MINCEMEAT PEAR TART

Steps:

• PREPARE PASTRY DOUGH: In medium bowl, with fork, stir flour and sugar. With pastry blender or two knives used scissor fashion, cut margarine or butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg; mix lightly with fork until dough is just moist enough to hold together. (Or, in food processor with knife blade attached, blend flour, margarine or butter, cut into 8 pieces, and sugar until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds. Add egg through feed tube; blend 15 seconds more or until dough holds together and leaves side of bowl.) With hands, shape dough into ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour; trim edge. With fork, prick tart shell in many places to prevent puffing and shrinkage during baking.
• Line tart shell with foil; bake 10 minutes. Remove foil; again prick dough. Bake 10 minutes longer. Remove tart shell from oven; turn oven control to 425°F.
• PREPARE STREUSEL TOPPING: In small bowl, combine flour and lightly brow sugar. With pastry blender or two knives used scissor fashion, cut margarine or butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to 350°F On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll out dough into round about 1 inch larger all around than 10inch tart pan with removable bottom.
• Ease dough into tart pan to line evenly.
• Drain pears; pat dry with paper towels. Cut each pear half lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices, being careful to keep slices from each half together. Arrange pears on mincemeat, fanning slices slightly.
• With spoon, evenly sprinkle Streusel Topping over sliced pears in tart shell.
• Bake tart 15 to 20 minutes until filling is heated through and crust and topping are lightly browned. Cool tart slightly in pan on wire rack.
• Remove side of pan. Serve tart warm or cool completely to serve later. 10 servings. Begin about 2 hours before serving or early in day.
• Good Housekeeping.

ALMOND-PEAR TART

Steps:

• Unfold piecrusts; stack on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12 inch circle. Fit into a 10 inch pan with removable bottome, trim excess pastry.
• Beat 4 tablespoons butter, almond paste, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons brandy, 1/3 cup flour and next 3 ingredients at medium speed with a mixer until blended, spread in crust.
• Toss together 2 tablespoons sugar and pears, arrange in cicles, overlapping slices, on top of filling.
• Cook preserves in a saucepan over low heat until melted. Pour through a fine wire mesh strainer, discarding solids. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter, remaining 2 tablespoons brandy, and cream, drizzle over pears.
• Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and remaining 2 tablespoons flour, cut in remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with a fork until blended. Sprinkle over pears.
• Bake at 400 on bottom rack for about 40 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Garnish if desired.

FRENCH PEAR TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• FOR TART DOUGH:
• Combine butter + 1/4 cup sugar in med bowl, mix till well-blended & then mix in the flour.
• Beat together vanilla + 2 eggs, add to flour mixture, mix till dough forms & chill for 10 minutes.
• Grease & flour bottom of 9-in tart pan w/removable bottom. Roll chilled dough 1-in larger than pan.
• Place dough in pan & press dough to sides of tart pan (It needs to come to the rim of the pan). Bake for 10 minutes.
• FOR CUSTARD:.
• Combine yolks + 2 eggs, beat well & set aside.
• Combine milk, cream + sugar & place in top of dbl-boiler. Cook over simmering water till temp reaches 140°F.
• Remove from heat, add egg mixture (whisking constantly) & strain.
• FOR TART ASSEMBLY: Arrange pear slices in tart shell. Pour custard mixture over pears till shell is almost full. Bake 25 min or till custard is set. Remove from heat & allow to stand for 30 minutes.
• TO SERVE: Cook jam & wine in a sml saucepan to form glaze. Brush glaze over tart, cool completely & refrigerate till ready to serve.