Earl Grey Poached Pears
3 Pears
2 Tea Bags, Earl Grey
¾ c Sugar
1 c Chardonnay
Enough water to cover pears
Add sugar, chardonnay, teabags in pot and bring to a simmer. Peel pears and add to pot, add enough water to cover pears. Simmer 20 minutes until fork tender. Remove from poaching liquid with slotted spoon. Chill in refrigerator for one hour or up to three days.
Tart Pastry
1 Sheet Puff Pastry
Butter
Tart Pan with removable bottom
Butter tart pan. Lay puff pastry in tart pan. Trim pastry edges and prick bottom with fork. Chill pastry in tart pan for 30 minutes. Warm oven to 350 degrees.
Once cold, line pastry with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with pie weights. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove foil and pie weights, cool for 30 minutes on wire rack.
Almond Filling (Frangipane)
6 T Unsalted Butter
½ c Sugar
⅛ t Salt
1 Egg
1 Egg White
½ t Almond Extract
½ t Vanilla Extract
4 oz Almond Flour
Whip butter for 2 minutes in stand mixer with paddle attachment. Add sugar & salt cream one more minute. Scrape bowl, and add eggs and extracts, mix on low until combined. Mix in almond flour, scrape bowl with rubber spatula to make sure all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Pour mix into pastry. Pat dry pears. Slice in half, core pear, then slice and arrange pears carefully in almond filling.
Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees until almond filling is golden brown and firm to the touch.
Glaze
¼ c Apricot Jelly
Bring jelly and a tablespoon of water to boil in saucepan while stirring to smooth out lumps. When completely melted, brush glaze on pears.
Finish
Cool tart to room temperature, about 2 hours. Tart is best served the day it’s made.
Remove outer metal ring of tart pan, and slip onto serving platter. Cut into wedges and serve.
