Gingerbread And Pear Tart

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Servings: 8 Difficulty: Advanced
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Spiced gingerbread crust filled with poached Bosc pears and creamy lemon custard
Gingerbread and Pear Tart - Country Living recipe image
Gingerbread and Pear Tart - Country Living recipe image
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Gingerbread And Pear Tart

Author: chefs-mate Cooking Method: , , Cuisine: Courses:
Difficulty: Advanced
Servings: 8 Calories: 485.4

Description

This elegant dessert features a rich gingerbread tart shell filled with a smooth sour cream custard and topped with poached Bosc pears. The pears are broiled under foil for a caramelized finish and garnished with lemon thyme. A perfect holiday treat that balances warm spices with fresh fruit.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. In a 2-quart saucepan, heat water, granulated sugar, and cinnamon stick to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves.
  2. Meanwhile, peel pears, cut each lengthwise in half, and core.
  3. Reduce heat so water mixture just simmers and add pear halves; poach 10 minutes.
  4. With slotted spoon, remove pear halves and place, cut sides down, on paper towels to drain and cool.
  5. (Poaching liquid can be stored in the refrigerator and reused to poach other fruits, such as for pies.)
  6. Meanwhile, prepare gingerbread tart dough: In large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  7. Add molasses and egg and beat on high speed until smooth and well blended.
  8. Reduce speed to very low.
  9. Add flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; beat on very low speed, scraping bowl as necessary, until soft dough forms.
  10. Heat oven to 375°F.
  11. Lightly grease a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom.
  12. With floured fingers, spread dough mixture evenly on bottom and up side of tart pan.
  13. Place tart pan on rimmed baking sheet; set aside.
  14. Prepare Sour Cream Custard: In food processor fitted with chopping blade or in blender, combine sour cream, egg, sugar, flour, milk, and grated lemon rind.
  15. Process or blend until smooth.
  16. Spread custard in bottom of gingerbread-lined tart pan.
  17. With knife, score 4 lengthwise lines in rounded side of each pear half; place halves, scored sides up and stem ends toward center, in a ring in custard.
  18. Bake tart 30 to 35 minutes or until custard and crust are firm.
  19. Remove tart from oven and heat broiler.
  20. To brown pears on top of tart, cover tart with a piece of aluminum foil; pierce hole in foil above each pear half and pull back foil to uncover each pear only.
  21. (The foil will now look like a spoked-wheel stencil.)
  22. Brush pear tops with jelly; broil tart 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until pear tops are just browned.
  23. Remove foil and cool tart to room temperature.
  24. To serve, remove side of tart pan.
  25. Place tart on serving plate.
  26. Sift confectioners' sugar around edge of tart and, if desired, garnish center with a sprig of lemon thyme that has been twisted into a wreath.
  27. Store any leftover tart in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 8

Amount Per Serving
Calories 485.4kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 15.6g24%
Saturated Fat 9.6g48%
Cholesterol 40.3mg14%
Sodium 124.7mg6%
Total Carbohydrate 95.3g32%
Dietary Fiber 16.4g66%
Sugars 70.4g
Protein 1.6g4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Keywords: gingerbread, pear, tart, custard, bosc, dessert, holiday, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, lemon thyme, poached fruit, spiced, baking, broiling
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