We’re not fans of lots of sugar, but we definitely can’t resist a delicious tart with ripe fruit. This pear tart is so easy to make that even those who don’t consider themselves great bakers will be able to make it.
We get our ingredients ready and preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat with fan).
The special thing about this recipe is that the pastry is not prepared with cold butter as is usual with shortcrust pastry. On the contrary, we make a brown butter (‘beurre noisette’), which gives the tart an unrivalled flavour. Because of its particular aroma, brown butter is mainly used in savoury cuisine, for example instead of a sauce. The nutty flavour is created when the butter melts and the liquid it contains evaporates. The naturally contained sugar caramelises before it burns if you take it too far.
We also enhance the special flavour of the tart by using salted butter (‘demi sel’), which emphasises the contrast with the sweet, ripe pears. However, you can also work with unsalted butter and add a pinch or two of sea salt to the dough.
We melt the butter in a small pan over a medium-high heat. It first starts to foam, then the foam recedes. Now you have to be careful: the butter should take on the colour of light caramel. Then it starts to smell fragrant and the pan must be removed from the heat immediately. It takes quite a long time for the butter to change to a caramelised colour, but it would then be very easy to burn it. So don’t walk away and be attentive.
We put flour (and optionally ground almonds) with sugar in a large bowl. We use brown sugar, which enhances the caramel flavour. There are many different types, all of which actually work. We prefer to use mostly natural (unrefined) sugar, which is often referred to as muscovado sugar. It is made from sugar cane, but unlike industrial sugar, it contains valuable minerals and is therefore considered (slightly) healthier.
We then mix the liquid brown butter with these ingredients until a sandy paste is formed.
Now we prepare our baking tin. A tart or quiche mould in which the base can be lifted out is ideal. However, you can also use any other flat baking dish.
We first fold and cut the baking paper into a square, then fold it into a triangle and again into a narrower triangle. Then we place the tip of the origami artwork roughly in the centre of the tin and cut off the excess. If you unfold the paper now, it will fit perfectly into the mould. This is also how you make a so-called cartouche, a perfect substitute for a lid.
Now we fill the unusual dough onto the baking paper in the tin and press it flat.
It is important to shape the edges well and, above all, evenly thick. You can do this with your hands or with the aid of the bottom of a small drinking glass.
Then the pears are prepared. We peel and halve them, after which we remove the core and the hard stem with a small knife.
We cut them into thin slices and leave them next to each other so that we can fan them out nicely in the mould later. We drizzle the filleted pears with a little lemon juice to prevent them from browning and to enhance the flavour.
The pears are layered onto the dough in the shape of a blossom. Now just add a little sugar and a few flakes of butter and you’re ready to bake.
The baking time will depend on how juicy your pears are. The tart definitely needs 45 minutes, but it may well take longer. The tart is ready when the edges are crispy and the pears are a delicate golden brown.
The finished tart must be allowed to cool thoroughly so that the base is firm and crispy and comes away easily from the paper.
Enjoy.
And may the taste be with you.
Ingredients
100 g unrefined (brown) sugar – plus 1 – 2 tsp on top of the tart
200 g standard wheat flour (alternatively: 150 g wheat flour and 50 g ground almonds)
120 g salted butter (‘demi sel’) – plus a few flakes on top of the tart
750 g ripe, firm pears
Juice of 1/2 lemon
