Pear Frangipane (Pear and Almond) Tart

Instructions

Poach the Pears:

• 1. Combine the cold water and granulated sugar in a medium pot. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Reduce to a gentle simmer and add the cinnamon sticks, star anise, vanilla extract, and lemon peel.
• 2. Gently lower the halved, cored pears into the poaching liquid. Cover the surface of the pot with a parchment round, and simmer the pears, occasionally flipping them during the cooking process, for about 12 to 15 minutes or until fork tender. Try to avoid overcooking as you don’t want the pear to be overly mushy.
• 3. Take the pot off the heat and cool the pears to room temperature in the poaching liquid. If making tart in advance, transfer the pears to a large container with a bit of the poaching liquid and refrigerate for up to one week. Feel free to discard the rest of the poaching liquid.

Prepare the Sweet Tart Dough:

• 4. Lightly grease a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and set aside. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Pulse until well mixed. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse repeatedly until the butter is well distributed into the flour. You shouldn’t be able to see any distinguishable pieces.
• 5. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and pulse continuously until the dough just starts to clump together. Note: It might appear very dry at first, but if you continue to pulse and process, it will come together. Be patient.
• 6. Transfer the dough and any smaller pieces to a clean countertop, and knead – pressing the dough down with the heel of your hand – until it is completely smooth. It will resemble a sugar cookie dough in texture. Press the dough into the greased tart pan (with a removable bottom) – it should be just under 1/4-inch thick, you should have some dough leftover – and chill in the fridge for a minimum of one hour, or freeze for at least 30 minutes. If you are preparing the dough ahead of time: press it into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour or up to 2 days. If following this method, take the dough out of the fridge at least 15 to 20 minutes before rolling, as it will be too hard to roll right from the fridge.
• 7. Roll the dough out (between pieces of parchment or wax paper to prevent sticking), carefully pick up and transfer the dough to the tart pan, using fingers to push in dough and gently shape the tart. If it cracks, just simply patch or press the pieces back together. This is a forgiving tart dough. Make sure to press dough tightly inside corners and sides. The dough can be made up to 2 days in advance or frozen up to a month ahead.

Blind Bake the Tart Shell:

• 8. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 C) with a rack in the center position. Crumple a large piece of parchment paper so that it can easily fill in the gaps of the tart shell. Fill the parchment paper with baking weights, dried beans, or rice.
• 9. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights and bake uncovered for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until the shell is lightly golden and cooked through. The center of the tart shell should be dry and firm to the touch once cooked through. Set tart pan on a wire rack to cool completely before adding the frangipane and poached pears.

Make the Frangipane Filling:

• 10. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a hand-held mixer). Beat over medium speed until creamy.
• 11. Over low speed, add the almond flour, alternating with egg until the ingredients are incorporated evenly. Add the flour and mix to combine. Add the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and rum (if using) and mix until just combined. Use right away if the other tart components are ready, or transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble the Tart:

• 12. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet. Fill the pre-baked tart shell with the frangipane filling and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula.
• 13. Place the poached pears on a few paper towels to help soak up any excess poaching liquid (this will help prevent it from seeping into the frangipane). Cut the poached pears in half, removing the stem and any core that might remain. Slice the pear halves crosswise into thin slices. Using a spatula, carefully lift each sliced pear half and place on the frangipane, with the narrow end of the pear facing the center of the tart, fanning the slices apart slightly as you work. Repeat with the remaining pear halves, spacing them evenly around the tart.
• 14. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 C) for 40 to 55 minutes, or until the frangipane has risen substantially around the pears and is deep golden brown in color.
• 15. Transfer the tart to a rack to cool until lukewarm or room temperature before removing the sides of the tart pan. Before serving, dust lightly with powdered sugar.