We moved our clocks forward for Daylight Savings Time last weekend. It seems early, because it has still been a bit chilly outside even here in sunny Northern California (in addition to a lot of rain this winter), and the first day of Spring has not yet arrived.
The old plum tree in my backyard is already full of white blossoms that have started falling like snow. The cold rains last week did not destroy their flowers this year, unlike last year. So I am hoping I will enjoy super sweet, delicious red plums (100% organic) in mid-June.
Strawberries have not come yet to the Farmers Market. Apples, pears and oranges are still the only fruits available. They are harvested in December or earlier, and kept in cold storage. So they are not super fresh.
I decided it is a good time to make “Tarte Bourdaloue” (Pear Almond Cream Tart), which can also be made with apples. It always makes me feel the imminence of spring. This tart is a French classic that can be found in pastry shops throughout France. It uses almond cream (easier to make than the typical custard pastry cream) as the filling (just below the fruit).
Pears have a distinctive, wonderful fragrance, flavor and texture. Besides using them for pastries, I also enjoy them in composed salads, along with a soft cheese such as mascarpone, brie or goat cheese, and walnuts… very good in autumn also. I occasionally enjoy sipping a small glass of pear wine or liqueur at the end of dinner, especially with this tart.
- Sweet pastry crust (Pâte Sablée, 10-ounce/300 grams), “unbaked”
- ½ cup (80g) confectioners’ sugar
- ¾ cup (90g) almond flour or ground blanched almond
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3.5 ounces (100g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon dark rum or brandy (optional)
- ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds for topping
- 3-4 Bartlett or Anjou pears
- juice of ½ lemon to prevent browning the pears.
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting edge of tart
- Roll out the sweet crust dough about 1/8-inch thick (It’s OK a little thicker) and place them gently on the lightly greased 9-inch a removable bottom tart pan. Refrigerate or freeze it until almond cream is ready (you may do this a day before.).
- Using an electric mixer or food processor with a steel blade, Place the sugar, ground almond and cornstarch and pule few times to combine. Add the softened butter and combine/process the ingredients about 25-30 seconds. Add the egg, yolk, vanilla extract and rum if using it, to beat all ingredients mix together until smooth creamy consistency.
- (you can do it in a large bowl with your hand. Make sure that the butter must be very soft, but not melted.)
- Almond cream can be made few days in advance and refrigerated till ready to use.
- Spread the almond cream on the bottom of the pastry crust and refrigerate it for 30 minutes before placing the sliced pears.
- Rack and place a baking sheet in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C).
- Peele, halve, and core the pears and then sliced each pears horizontally about ¼ inch thick. Place them nicely over the almond cream on the unbaked pastry crust. Place the tart pan on a hot baking sheet. Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes until top is nicely light brown color.
- Transfer to the cooling rack to room temperature and then unmold. Dust with the powder sugar and sprinkle the toasted almonds on top of the tart. Yummy!
- Normally pears are pretty hard when you buy at stores. So you need to ripe them over the counter top/ at room temperature for a few days and pear starts smelling.
- About soft butter; It takes about 3 hours at room temperature to soften 1 stick (4 ounces) of butter. So you need slice or dice the butter to reduce time.
