Servings: 6
INGREDIENTS
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and lightly rolled on a floured surface
- 1 egg, beaten
- Powdered sugar
Pears:
- 6 ripe pears, peeled, halved, and cored
- 2 cups/480 milliliters water
- ½ cup minus 2 tablespoons/80 grams sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Almond Cream:
- 1 cup/100 grams almonds, finely ground
- 7 tablespoons/100 grams unsalted butter, very soft
- ½ cup/100 grams sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 heaping tablespoon/15 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large skillet, combine the water, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the pears and cook for about 30 minutes, until tender. Let cool, then slice each pear thinly, keeping the top intact so the slices fan out but remain connected.
- In a bowl, mix the ground almonds, butter, sugar, and eggs until smooth. Stir in the flour and vanilla extract. Transfer to a piping bag.
- Cut the puff pastry into 12 squares. Cut slits into 6 of the squares to create a lattice pattern. On the remaining squares, pipe a layer of almond cream and place a poached pear on top.
- Cover each tart with a latticed square, pressing the edges to seal. Trim any excess pastry. Brush with the beaten egg.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the tarts on a lined baking sheet and bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
- Dust with powdered sugar, let cool slightly, and serve warm.