Pear Frangipane Tart Delia Smith Food

PEAR AND FRANGIPANE TART

Steps:

• Make the pastry. Tip the flour onto a work surface. Cut the butter into cubes and dot over the flour. Sprinkle with the caster sugar. Using your fingertips, rub the butter, flour and sugar together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre, add the egg yolks and, using your fingers, gradually draw in the flour. Knead lightly, until it comes together in a smooth ball - you might need to add 1 teaspoon cold water if the dough is very crumbly. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes. (Angela Hartnett's tip: I make the pastry on a floured work surface in the traditional Italian way, but feel free to do it in a bowl if you prefer.)
• Make the frangipane filling. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, one at a time, then fold in the ground almonds and flour. Mix well and chill until needed.
• Make the poached pears. Put the sugar in a saucepan, pour in 500ml water and place over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Peel the pears and add to the pan, along with the cinnamon and cloves. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into the pan and add the squeezed lemon and orange zest. Split the vanilla pod in half, scrape out the seeds and add to the pan with the pod. Add some more water to just cover the pears.
• Cut out a circle of baking paper large enough to fit inside the pan, and lay on top of the pears. Weigh down with a saucer or small saucepan lid so that the pears stay submerged in the poaching liquor. Simmer for 20 minutes, then remove the pears to a plate with a slotted spoon and discard the liquor and solids. Set aside for 15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. (Angel Hartnett's tip: Don't overcook the pears - a knife should just pierce them easily. Remember - they will continue to cook in the oven.)
• Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan170°C/gas 5. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a circle large enough to line the tart tin. Don't worry if it breaks up, as this is a very short, crumbly pastry - you can just patch it together in the tin and mould it up the sides, making sure it is even all over. Trim off any excess pastry and spread the frangipane evenly on top.
• Cut the pears in half lengthways and, using a teaspoon, scoop out and discard the core from the centre. Cut each pear half in slices, widthways, then lift onto your knife and push down on the pears slightly to fan them out. Lift into the pastry case and arrange in a circle. Fill in the gaps between each pear half with a few more slices and arrange some in the centre. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is golden and the filling is set. Sprinkle with the extra 2 teaspoons caster sugar and bake in the oven for a further 15 minutes to finish off the browning. Cool in the tin slightly, then remove and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of crème fraîche.

PEAR FRANGIPANE TART

Steps:

• Set the oven to 375°F/190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5
• Chill pastry for 30 minutes before use

FRANGIPANE (ALMOND) TART WITH FRUIT (FIG, APPLE, CHERRY, PEAR, B

Steps:

• Whisk egg yolk and cream in small bowl.
• Mix flour, sugar and salt in a mixer with paddle.
• Add 1 cup butter and mix on low until coarse meal forms.
• Add egg mix and blend just until moist clumps form.
• Gather into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour.
• Butter tart pan.
• Roll out dough to 13" round on a lightly floured surface and transfer to pan. Press onto bottom and up the sides of the pan. Trim excess dough.
• Chill 30 minutes.
• Bring half and half to a simmer in a small saucepan. Whisk 1st quantity of sugar, 1/3 of eggs and flour in a small bowl.
• Gradually whisk in half and half.
• Return to saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer to a small bowl.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Set over a bowl of ice water and stir pastry cream until cold. Remove from ice bath and set aside.
• Grind almonds with half of 2nd quantity of sugar in a food processor being careful NOT to take it to a paste.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and remaining sugar until smooth.
• Add remaining eggs 1 at a time, beating well between additions.
• Gradually beat in almond mixture.
• Add 1/2 cup pastry cream (reserve remaining for another use).
• Cover and chill until firm, about 4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375.
• Spread filling over crust. Arrange fruit (if fig cut side up)in concentric circles over filling.
• Place tart on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake until filling center is golden and set -- about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Let cool completely in pan on wire rack.

PEAR TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Core the pears, then peel as neatly as possible and halve. If you like, they can be prepared up to a day ahead and kept in the fridge, uncovered, so that they dry out.
• Tip the sugar, butter, star anise, cardamom and cinnamon into an ovenproof frying pan, about 20cm wide, and place over a high heat until bubbling. Shake the pan and stir the buttery sauce until it separates and the sugar caramelises to a toffee colour.
• Lay the pears in the pan, then cook in the sauce for 10-12 mins, tossing occasionally, until completely caramelised. Don't worry about them burning - they won't - but you want to caramelise them as much as possible. Splash in the brandy and let it flambé, then set the pears aside.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Roll the pastry out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Using a plate slightly larger than the top of the pan, cut out a circle, then press the edges of the circle of pastry to thin them out.
• When the pears have cooled slightly, arrange them in the pan, cut side up, in a floral shape, with the pears around the edge pointing inwards. Rest the cinnamon stick on the top in the centre, with the cardamom pods scattered around.
• Drape the pastry over the pears, then tuck the edges down the pan sides and under the fruit (see Gordon's guide). Pierce the pastry a few times, then bake for 15 mins. If a lot of juice bubbles up the side of the pan, pour it off at this stage (see guide). Reduce oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and bake for 15 mins more until the pastry is golden. Leave the tart to stand for 10 mins, then invert it carefully onto a serving dish.