- 15 mins
- 16 mins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 8 large pears, washed
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp water
- 3/4 cup fig preserves
- 1/4 tsp salt
Preparation
Step 1
With the holidays upon us, I decided to challenge myself to baking something different. I was looking through the latest issue of Cook’s Illustrated and I came across a beautiful French apple tart. The apple slices arranged in the shape of a beautiful blooming flour. At first glance, I thought to myself,
A few hours later, I was looking in my fridge when my large bag of pears stared back at me demanding action. I decided that I’ll just go ahead and try my hands at a pear tart. And while I’m at it, I could use some of my good fig preserves!
I’d like to think of my pear tart as the yummier cousin of the Cook’s Illustrated apple tart. Sorry, I’m biased toward pears. But I did end up using their no-fuss pie crust with some modification. Trust me, friends, you’ll want to know how to make this easy no-fuss crust, it will change your baking life!
So I did make my French pear tart recipe. The result? A total WIN! Absolute perfection in both presentation and taste! I know I’ll be making it again soon.
Position one oven rack to middle, and move the second rack to the very top slot. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar and salt. Add melted butter and combine to form dough.
Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes, or until crust turns golden brown. When ready remove crust from oven and let sit to cool. Leave oven on.
Meanwhile, heat the fig preserves in microwave for about 40 seconds. Pour heated fig preserves through a mesh strainer to separate chunks from liquid.
Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a large cast iron skillet. Add pear slices and 1 tbsp water. Cover and cook on medium heat until pears are slightly tender; about 3 minutes. Remove pears onto a large platter and let sit to cool.
Take the remaining three pears and cut them in the same manner. Now melt 2 tbsp of butter in previously used cast iron skillet. Add newly-sliced pears, chunks of fig reserves, and salt. Cook on medium heat, covered, for ten minutes; stir occasionally until pears are very tender. Take a potato masher and mash the pears and fig reserves into a puree. Let cook for another 5-7 minutes or until pureed mixture reduces and thickens.
Now, take the cooled pear slices and begin to assemble them in layered circles, starting at the outer edges.
Place tart on the middle rack of the oven. Bake in 350 degree F-heated oven for 30 minutes.
Warm up the strained liquid fig preserves for 20 seconds in the microwave.When tart is ready, remove from oven and brush surface of the pears evenly with the warmed fig liquid.
Return to oven and place on the top rack. Broil very briefly; watching carefully until pears gain a nice caramelized look.
When ready, place the bottom of the tart pan on a wide can of food. Hold the ring part of the pan and carefully slide it downwards.
Cut pear fig tart into eight slices and serve. Enjoy!
Yields
12 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup fig preserves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar and salt. Add melted butter and combine to form dough.
Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes, or until crust turns golden brown. When ready remove crust from oven and let sit to cool. Leave oven on.
Meanwhile, heat the fig preserves in microwave for about 40 seconds. Pour heated fig preserves through a mesh strainer to separate chunks from liquid.
Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a large cast iron skillet. Add pear slices and 1 tbsp water. Cover and cook on medium heat until pears are slightly tender; about 3 minutes.
Take the remaining three pears and cut them in the same manner.
Now melt 2 tbsp of butter in previously used cast iron skillet. Add newly-sliced pears, chunks of fig reserves, and salt. Cook on medium heat, covered, for ten minutes; stir occasionally until pears are very tender.
Take a potato masher and mash the pears and fig reserves into a puree. Let cook for another 5-7 minutes or until pureed mixture reduces and thickens.
Now, take the cooled pear slices and begin to assemble them in layered circles, starting at the outer edges (see photo).
Place tart on the middle rack of the oven. Bake in 350 degree F-heated oven for 30 minutes.
Warm up the strained liquid fig preserves for 20 seconds in the microwave.
Return to oven and place on the top rack. Broil very briefly; watching carefully until pears gain a nice caramelized look.
When ready, place the bottom of the tart pan on a wide can of food. Hold the ring part of the pan and carefully slide it downwards (see photo).
Cut pear fig tart into eight slices and serve. Enjoy!