Ingredients
Crust
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 7/8 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour*
Poached Pears
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 1/4 cups Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 4 Bosc pears
Custard
- 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
- 1/3 cup Dixie Crystals Light Brown Sugar, well packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Finishing
- 1/2 cup candied almonds
- 1/3 cup pine nuts, optional
- 1/3 cup pistachios, optional
*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.
Directions
- For crust, mix butter and powdered sugar until well blended. Add egg and mix until well combined. Add salt and vanilla.
- Add flour in one step and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Press dough evenly flat onto a sheet of plastic food film. Place dough in refrigerator or freezer for at least 30 minutes or until well chilled.
- Meanwhile chill work surface area that you will be rolling dough on by placing 1-2 cookie sheets filled with ice cubes on area.
- Set aside an 8 or 9-inch tart pan.
- For poaching pears bring water and sugar to a boil in a relatively small pan, but one large enough to hold pears.
- Peel pears and cut lengthwise in half. Remove core. Place immediately in hot syrup and keep syrup at a very low simmer. Repeat with all pears. Place a salad plate or any type of plate which fits inside pan on top of pears. It is essential that pears remain completely submerged to ensure even poaching and preventing pears from browning.
- Keep syrup at a very low simmer and poach for about 35-45 minutes or until pears feels like uncooked chicken breast. Remove from heat and keep in syrup. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle chilled area lightly with flour or gluten-free flour and roll dough into a circle large enough to cover entire tart pan. Place dough into place and remove excess. Press dough into any cracks or tears.
- Prick bottom using a fork and place in oven. (Filling with pie weights is not necessary.) Check tart once tart shell has been in oven for about 5 minutes. Chances are that bottom crust is puffing up. If so, prick with tip of a paring knife. In If a section of tart sides came down from side, press it back up.
- Bake until light golden brown, about 15-18 minutes. Custard filling can make crust slightly soggy. Therefore, brush baked crust with a thin and even coat of well beaten egg. Return to oven for about 2 minutes until egg wash has fully dried. Set aside. Lower oven temperature to 325°F.
- For custard cream, using a stick blender or stand blender, briefly mix cream and sugar. Add eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Set aside.
- Drain pears on paper towels and arrange in baked tart shell. Place in oven and pour custard over pears. Fill to edge of tart shell.
- Bake until center of tart no longer trembles, about 45 minutes.
- For candied almonds follow our recipe video for candied pecans, but replace pecans with almonds.
- Sprinkle edges of tart with powdered sugar and sprinkle with nuts of choice.
Dixie Crystals Insight
- Use all-purpose flour with 3 grams/protein on nutrition facts label.
- For gluten-free crust, this recipe has been tested with successful results using Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour by King Arthur Baking Company.
- Instead of poaching pears yourself, canned can be used instead.