Pear Almond Tartlets
Lately, I’ve been cooking so damned much that I hardly have time to write about it. At this very moment, I am nixtamalizing corn on the stove in preparation for hand-ground masa tortillas while my duck carnitas slowly render in the oven.
Oh, and then there’s my obsession with learning all French pastry techniques before Christmas. For instance, I made my own puff pastry a week ago. Still not sure what I’m going to use it for, but by God I’ll be ready when the time comes! I have a list of all the recipes I want to master: Canelés de Bordeaux, kouign-amman, a true Parisian macaron, something pâte-à-choux with crème pâtissière or Bavarian cream inside, a gorgeous passionfruit or coffee or hazelnut entremet with perfect mirror glaze, and of course, an unimpeachable almond croissant.
On a completely unrelated note, I am on the last day of my 5-day fast-mimicking diet in which I go gluten-free, vegan, low calorie and zero alcohol. Because pandemic calories are no joke, my friends. I do believe I will need to do this every 6 weeks or so at my current pace of pastry-making.
We do what we must.
Today’s recipe uses frangipane, which is an almond cream filling used in tarts, cakes, and something called a pithivier, which I just this minute added to my list because it looks amazing and also requires puff pastry, so, win-win!
Frangipane is delicious. Something about the almonds/butter/sugar mixture creates a filling that puffs magically in the oven, caramelizes into chewy goodness at the edges and stays brownie-moist in the center. Possibly, it’s witchcraft.
It goes with just about any fruit you throw at it, although cherries and pears are the classic adds.
Lastly, it is incredibly easy to make. Which makes these tartlets easy to make, as long as you don’t count the pastry, which I know some people have issues with. But never fear! I will strive to make that easy as well.
This was very nearly a full sized tart when fate intervened. I was half-way through making a 9-inch pear-frangipane tart but couldn’t find my tart pan. So I divided my pâte sucreé into 6 portions and filled individual tartlet pans. When life gives you lemons, make tartlets.
If you don’t happen to have mini-tart pans, go with my plan A and throw this into a full-sized tart pan instead.
Speaking of flexibility, frangipane goes gluten-free amazingly well. Substitute your favorite gluten free flour in the filling, or go without any flour besides almond…you can totally get away with it.
As for the crust, I will need to do a little research on an effective gluten-free tart crust, but I have no doubt it can be done. I’ll get back to you on that. In fact, I plan to do a whole series of posts on pastry crusts, ‘cause it’s kind of my jam.
But for now, on to some kick-ass tartlets.
Shit You Need
Makes 6 tartlets
I have included volume measurements just in case you don’t have a kitchen scale. But for the love of God, go get one! It makes everything easier, faster, and you use fewer dishes!
For the pears:
4 cups water
225 grams sugar (1 heaping cup)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons brandy
2 ripe Bosc pears, halved and cored ( for a full-sized tart, use 3)
For the crust:
6 4-inch tartlet pans with removable bottoms.
190 grams all-purpose four (1 1/2 cups)
60 grams confectioner’s sugar (1/2 cup)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
128 grams (1 stick plus 1 Tbs) cold unsalted butter, split lengthwise into quarters, and diced
1 egg yolk, whisked with 2 teaspoons cold water
For the filling:
100 grams sugar (1/2 cup)
140 grams almond flour ( I use Bob’s Red Mill finely ground almond flour)
30 grams flour (3 Tbs)
140 grams butter ( 1 stick plus 2 Tbs) room temperature butter
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
Keep Calm and justeffingcook
Poach the pears:
In a medium saucepan, dissolve sugar in water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer. Add lemon juice, brandy, and pears.
Simmer 15 minutes, until pears are tender.
Set aside at room temperature until you are ready to use them.
A nip of brandy? Don’t mind if I do!
Make the crust:
Place flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to blend.
Make sure your butter is cold! If it isn’t, pop it in the freezer for 10 or 15 minutes. Then add it to the bowl of the food processor and pulse 8 - 10 times, about 1 second each time.
Add the yolk/water mixture and run the processor about 10 seconds, until the mixture starts looking a bit clumpy.
Dump the mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface and press the dough together with your palms to form a disc.
Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate at least an hour.
Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Refrigerate the ones you aren’t actively rolling out.
Lightly dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. Press one portion into a disc with your palm, dust lightly with flour, and roll into a very thin round - less than the usual 1/8 of an inch, but not so thin it isn’t workable. Use a minimal amount of flour to re-dust if necessary as you turn and flip the dough.
Cup the dough between your hands so that you can lower it into a tartlet pan. Press it into place. If it breaks, just patch it. No problem. There will be excess that overhangs the pan. Also no problem. Press and brush it off with your fingers.
Refrigerate the tartlet pan. and repeat for remaining 5 tarts.
Refrigerate the whole shebang for 30 minutes at least while your oven preheats to 425 degrees.
Bake 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden. I got by without pricking the bottom, lining the shells, or using pie weights. The dough puffed a bit at the bottom, and I simply pressed it back with a spoon when I pulled them from the oven.
If using a large tart pan, follow the same process with the entire portion of dough, but bake 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
Make frangipane:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed. As a reminder, your butter and eggs should be at room temperature. If they aren’t, go stand in the corner and think about what you’ve done.
Add almond flour and flour and beat to incorporate.
Add almond extract and eggs (also room temperature) and mix on medium speed, stopping once or twice to scrape down the bowl, until everything is one homogeneous happy-delicious batter.
How easy was that?
Assemble and bake tarts:
Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Transfer pears to a cutting board. Lightly pat dry and remove stems and ends. Slice thinly, then slice right down the middle lengthwise. Each quarter will top a tart . You may not be able to fit the entire length - if not, you’ll leave a bit of the neck behind.
If you are baking a 9 inch tart, leave the pears in their halves and thinly slice. All 6 pear halves will top the tart.
Pipe or pour frangipane into the center of each tart, to fill 3/4 full. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon if necessary.
Using a knife or cake server, lift each pear quarter, allowing the slices to tilt and fan. Lay on top of the frangipane and press slightly into place.
(For the large tart, place each pear half on the filling, small end toward the center and fat end toward the edge, like spokes on a wheel. Make it look pretty.)
Bake 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees, until filling is puffed and lightly golden at the edges. Cool to room temperature.
(For the large tart, bake 45-50 minutes)
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
