Maple Walnut Pear Tart Food

MAPLE PECAN TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to handle., Divide dough into 12 portions. Roll each portion into a 5-in. circle; transfer to 12 ungreased 4-in. fluted tart pans with removable bottoms. Trim crust even with edges. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the first 6 filling ingredients. Pour into tart shells; arrange pecans over tops. Bake 25-30 minutes or until centers are just set (mixture will jiggle). Cool on wire racks. If desired, serve with ice cream. Refrigerate leftovers.

MAPLE WALNUT TARTS

Steps:

• To make pastry: in a medium bowl, combine flour,sugar,salt and baking powder.
• Cut in butter or margarine and shortening until mixture is crumbly.
• Add water, 2 tbsp at a time, mixing with a fork; add a little more or less than the 1/2 c water as needed.
• Press mixture into 2 flat disks, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• To make filling: beat together eggs, syrup, brown sugar, melted butter or margarine and vanilla until just blended.
• On a lightly floured board, roll pastry disks to 1/16" thick.
• Cut into 5 inch circles. Roll scraps of dough and cut again. Line 12-3 inch tart pans with pastry. Divide walnuts equally between tart shells. Pour maple syrup mixture over walnuts. Bake at 425°F for 20-25 minutes, or until pastry is golden and filling is soft set. Let stand 15 minutes befire removing from tart pans.

PEAR-WALNUT CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour, shortening, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the butter and pulse until it is in pea-size pieces. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons cold water and pulse until the dough just comes together. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap; use the plastic to help form the dough into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. (The dough can be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature.)
• Roll out the dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Ease into a 9-inch springform pan, pressing it into the bottom and 2 inches up the side. Chill 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the crust with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until golden around the edge, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until the crust is golden all over, 10 to 15 more minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden, 8 to 10 minutes; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with the butter, confectioners' sugar, egg, cinnamon and salt to form a paste; set aside.
• Combine 2 cups water and the granulated sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Peel the pear and cut into 3/4-inch chunks. Add to the saucepan and simmer until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, then spread the pear on paper towels and let cool completely.
• Spread the walnut filling evenly in the cooled crust, then press the pear and chocolate chunks into the filling. Bake until the filling is puffed and golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

MAPLE BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Cut each pastry sheet into quarters; roll each quarter into a 6-in. circle. Transfer pastry to eight ungreased 4-in. fluted tart pans with removable bottoms. Trim pastry even with edges. Place on baking sheets. Bake at 450° for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Reduce heat to 350°., Place raisins in a large bowl. Cover with boiling water; let stand for 5 minutes. Drain. In another bowl, beat the brown sugar, eggs, butter, syrup and flavoring; stir in raisins. Divide filling among tart shells., Bake for 16-20 minutes or until centers are just set (mixture will jiggle). Cool on a wire rack. Serve with ice cream if desired.

MAPLE-NUT TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured piece of waxed or parchment paper, roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully fit into a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan, gently lowering dough into bottom and sides of pan without stretching. Roll rolling pin over edge of tart pan to cut off excess dough (discard excess); set tart shell aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, and salt; whisk in maple syrup. Add nuts, and mix filling to combine. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet, and pour in filling. Bake tart until filling is set and crust is slightly golden, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Remove tart from pan before serving.

MAPLE-PEAR SHEET TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 13x18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water.
• If using a 14-ounce puff pastry package, roll the sheet to a 13-x18-inch rectangle on a floured surface. If using a 17-ounce puff pastry package, roll each sheet to a 9 1/2-x13-inch rectangle. Line up the two longer sides and overlap by 1 inch to form a 13-x18-inch rectangle. Brush egg wash in between to form a seam. Use a rolling pin to seal the seam.
• Transfer the pastry to the parchment. Fold sides of pastry towards center to form a 1/2-inch border on all four sides. Lightly score the border by using a paring knife to make small shallow diagonal cuts. Prick the surface of the pastry inside the border with a fork. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Slice the pears in half lengthwise, and then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices. Trim the seeds and core and toss the slices in the sugar. Arrange on the pastry and brush all exposed pastry (including the borders) with the egg wash.
• Bake until the crust is puffed and golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Brush the fruit and pastry with the maple syrup. Let cool completely, and then slice into squares to serve.

MAPLE-WALNUT TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Melt the butter in the skillet and stir in the breadcrumbs. Cook a few minutes, then mix in the walnuts. Mix with the corn syrup and maple syrup and spread in the pastry shell.
• Bake 30 minutes. Serve with whipped cream.

MAPLE WALNUT TARTS

Steps:

• TO MAKE PASTRY:.
• In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Cut in butter or margarine and shortening until mixture is crumbly. Add water, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing with a fork. Add a little more water if necessary. Press mixture into 2 flat discs. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• On lightly floured board, roll pastry discs to 1/16 inch. Cut into 5-inch circles. Roll scraps of dough and cut again. Line twelve 3 1/2-inch tart pans with pastry.
• TO MAKE FILLING:.
• Divide Walnuts equally between tart shells.
• Beat together eggs, syrup, brown sugar, melted butter or margarine and vanilla until just blended. Pour maple syrup mixture over walnuts.
• Bake in 425F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until pastry is golden and filling is soft set.
• Let stand 15 minutes before removing from tart pans.
• Serve warm or at room temperature, plain or with lightly sweetened cream.

MAPLE-PEAR TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Roll puff pastry out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness; place in the refrigerator.
• Melt butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat; stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook and stir until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stir maple syrup into brown sugar mixture; cook, stirring, until mixture begins to bubble. Remove skillet from heat.
• Place one pear half, cut side up, into the center of skillet. Cut remaining pear halves in half again; arrange pear quarters around the center pear, cut sides up.
• Place skillet over medium-low heat; cook pears, basting with syrup mixture, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
• Remove puff pastry from refrigerator; place pastry over pears, tucking edges of pastry around pears inside skillet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pastry is puffed and golden, about 20 minutes; allow to cool for 5 minutes. Place a serving plate over skillet; invert to remove tart (skillet will still be hot). Serve warm.