Poached Pear Tartlets With Brandy Sabayon Food

POACHED-PEAR FRANGIPANE TART

Steps:

• Pears:Peel pears; transfer to a saucepan. Add wine, sugar, vanilla bean, orange juice and zest, cloves, and enough water to cover pears (2 to 3 cups). Top with a parchment round to keep pears submerged and bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until pears are easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a heatproof bowl; cover with poaching liquid. Let cool completely.
• Pie:On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out dough into a 13-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Fit into a 9-inch tart pan. Trim dough flush with rim; lightly prick bottom with a fork. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees, with a rack in lower third. Arrange almonds on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden and fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely. Transfer to a food processor; add flour and salt and process until finely ground.
• Beat butter with sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined. Add almond mixture; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Line dough with parchment; fill with dried beans or rice. Bake until edges begin to turn golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove beans or rice and parchment; bake until bottom and sides are golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. (Crust can be made up to a day in advance and covered tightly in foil.)
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; place a foil-lined baking sheet below rack. Spread crust with almond mixture; smooth top with an offset spatula. Working with one pear at a time, remove from poaching liquid; pat dry with a paper towel, then slice in half lengthwise, remove stem, remove core with a measuring teaspoon or a melon baller, and cut crosswise on a slight bias into 1/8-inch slices. Fan pear slices in a random pattern to completely cover top of frangipane. (You may not use them all.)
• Place tart pan directly on oven rack; bake until frangipane is golden, puffed, and just set, 50 minutes to 1 hour. (If crust is getting too dark, shield with a foil ring.) Transfer to wire rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours.

POACHED PEAR TARTLETS WITH BRANDY SABAYON

Steps:

• Trace outline of 1 pear half onto a piece of parchment paper. Cut out pear template. Set template aside.
• Mix 5 cups apple juice, brown sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg in heavy large saucepan. Cover and bring to simmer. Add pears and return mixture to simmer. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer slowly until pears are tender when pierced with knife, about 20 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to plate. Boil poaching liquid in saucepan until reduced to generous 1 cup, about 25 minutes. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cold pastry on work surface. Using template as guide, cut 8 pear shapes from pastry. Place pastry cutouts on prepared baking sheet. Brush with egg glaze; sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Bake until pastry is golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet.
• Transfer 1/2 cup pear poaching liquid to large metal bowl. Whisk in egg yolks and 2 tablespoons brandy. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water). Using handheld electric mixer, beat until sabayon is thick and foamy and thermometer registers 160°F, about 4 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. (Pears, poaching liquid, pastries and sabayon can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store pastries in airtight container. Cover pears, poaching liquid and sabayon separately and refrigerate. Before serving, bring poaching liquid to room temperature. Rewarm sabayon in glass bowl in microwave on high for about 1 minute, whisking every 10 seconds.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Rewarm pastries in oven for 5 minutes. Place 1 pastry on each plate. Arrange 1 poached pear half off-center atop each pastry. Spoon reduced poaching liquid around pastries. Spoon sabayon atop pears.