Since everything is haywire this Thanksgiving, I’m opting for something other than the normal pie trifecta (pumpkin, apple, pecan) for dessert. Not that I don’t love pie trifecta – I do! – I’m just missing my Mom and the things she used to make with me. This Pear and Almond tart was one of her signature desserts.

I dug this recipe out of a 6-inch folder she kept with newspaper and magazine cut-outs. It’s a 1975 Sunset recipe that she adapted with all of her little notes and scribbles on it. Just seeing her handwriting…

I remember making this with her when I was little. I loved eating the tart dough because it was sweet with lemon zest and I loved poaching the pears because they were sweet with lemon zest and I loved whipping the cream cheese filling because it was sweet with lemon zest too!

This is a very simple recipe, but there is something so perfectly balanced between the lemony sugar shell, poached pears and not-too-sweet almond cream cheese filling. The lemons, almonds and pears really are their own trifecta of deliciousness.

I made this with Layla today. She loved it too! Every part of it, just like me when I was a kid. I think this might be a new tradition for our family. Or really, just an old one revisited and remembered with love.

Happy Thanksgiving friends! And P.S. the pear poaching liquid is excellent for Champagne cocktails!

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Pear and Almond Tart

Ingredients

  • 2 cups All Purpose flour
  • 1 cup (two sticks) salted butter
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • Pears
  • 4 medium firm but ripe pears
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Juice of one lemon
  • Peel from one lemon
  • Filling:
  • 1 80z package of block cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Toppings
  • 1 cup apricot jam for glaze (strained and slightly warmed)
  • Toasted slivered almonds

Adapted from the 1975 March issue of Sunset Magazine submitted by Jude Verrips of Danville. Quantities have been adjusted to better fit tart shell (tart crust is doubled here and filling measurements adjusted as well)

You will need an 11-inch fluted tart pan, with removable bottom.

Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar and grated lemon peel and whisk to evenly distribute. With fingertips or a pastry cutter (or a Cuisinart) work in cubed butter until mixture is crumbly and resembles little peas. Whisk egg yolk into cold water and add to flour mixture little by little, mixing until it holds together. Shape into a smooth ball, flatten and wrap in Saran Wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes or until ready to roll out.

Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness and carefully drape over a large fluted tart shell with removable bottom. Gently press dough into the fluted sides and allow an over hang so dough doesn't shrink too easily. Fill with baking beans and blind bake until fully cooked and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

In a quart pan over high heat, combine: water, sugar, lemon peel and vanilla. Bring to a a boil stirring and boiling until sugar dissolves. Cut pears in half lengthwise, peel and sprinkle with lemon juice. Remove cores with a melon baller. Place halves cut-side down in the sugar mixture; cover, reduce heat and simmer until tender when pierced (about 10 minutes)

6. In the bowl of an Standing Mixer (or you can use hand held beaters) beat cream cheese until super creamy with no lumps. Add whipping cream and continue to beat for another minute until combined. Add lemon zest, almond extract and vanilla and beat until mixture is as thick and fluffy as whipped cream. Spread filing evenly in cooled pastry shell.

With the stem ends pointing toward the center, nestly pear halves cavity-side down in the cream cheese filling. Press gently to push them in. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Rub apricot jam through a wire strainer into a small pan; heat over low heat until melted. Let cook slightly and brush or drizzle jam over pears and filing. Cover loosely and refrigerate. Before serving remove pan rim and distribute almonds around pears.