Pear and Custard Tart
Recipe By: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
Ingredients

  • FOR THE CRUST
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1¼ cups cold butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 5-6 tablespoons cold water
    FOR POACHING THE PEARS
  • juice and zest from one lemon
  • 2 cups simmering water
  • 2 cups cold water
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 6 pears, peeled and the bottoms trimmed so they will stand up
    FOR THE CUSTARD
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ cup of the pear poaching liquid
  • 2 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream or sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    FOR SERVING:
  • 1 cup pear poaching liquid
  • ½ cup apricot jam
Preparation Instructions

  1. To make the crust:
  2. Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl.
  3. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture is the texture of course sand.
  4. In a small bowl, combine the egg, vinegar and cold water.
  5. Mix together the egg mixture and the flour mixture, knead to combine.
  6. Roll the dough out on parchment, sprinkled with a little flour so that it will fit in a 9" springform pan.
  7. Once rolled out, place in the springform pan and trim the top so it is even with the top of the pan and prick the bottom of the crust several time with a fork, place parchment paper inside the crust and then put in a layer of baking beads or beans.
  8. Place the crust in a preheated 400˙ oven.
  9. Bake until set, about 15 minutes.
    To make the poached pears:
  10. Strain the lemon juice and place it and the zest in a large saucepan. Add two cups of simmering water and stir in the sugar.
  11. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the cold water and the vanilla.
  12. Bring the liquid to a boil and then add the pears so they are standing upright.
  13. Cover loosely and barely simmer for about 8-10 minutes, just until tender.
  14. Uncover and let stand 20 minutes in the syrup, or longer, before draining. Reserve some of the poaching liquid for the custard.
    For the custard:
  15. Whisk together the flour and sugar.
  16. Gradually whisk in the ½ cup of the poaching liquid.
  17. Beat in the eggs and the heavy cream (or sour cream) and the vanilla.
  18. To assemble and bake the dessert:
  19. Preheat the oven to 350˙.
  20. Stand the poached pears inside the shell, evenly spaced.
  21. Pour the custard around them.
  22. Place in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, just until the custard is set.
  23. While the custard bakes combine 1 cup of the poaching liquid with the apricot jam and bring to a boil. Cook until thick and syrupy.
  24. Once the custard is cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool 20 minutes.
  25. Once slightly cool, spoon the jam glaze over the pears and custard.
  26. Serve warm or cold - either way you are going to love this!
Recipe by Foods of Our Lives at https://www.foodsofourlives.com/2011/09/pear-and-custard-tart/