Love and Spices:
Almond Pear Tart

A classic dessert made gluten-free!

Recipe by Monique Singer

Westmount Magazine is proud to offer its readers these simple recipes from Love and Spices, a beautifully illustrated cookbook by Monique Singer. With this series, you will discover some unique recipes dedicated to cooking with spices, from hors d’œuvres to desserts.

Monique Singer knows how to make people talk, sing and dance spices! From her earliest childhood, alongside her grandmother and sisters, she learned how to create a delicious and original cuisine with her senses, her hands and all her love.

From her family’s table to the jet-set parties she has catered in New York, Los Angeles, Venezuela, Spain, Haiti, and Asia, regardless of the set-up, function, atmosphere or style, Monique’s food has left its imprint on people’s taste buds.

Enjoy!

Almond Pear Tart

My family and guests have enjoyed this delicious tart for over 15 years.
Freezer-friendly, it can also be made with a pate sablée.

Preparation time: 30 min | Baking time: 60 min | Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C | Yields: 8 servings

GLUTEN-FREE PIE CRUST

• 1/2 cup / 160 g rice flour
• 1 cup / 60 g almond flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup / 115 g (1 stick) butter or margarine or vegetable shortening at room temperature
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp fine sugar
• 2 tbsp ice water

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse 2 or 3 times.
Cut the butter into thin slices and add to the food processor, piece by piece, to obtain a flaky texture.
Add the egg then pulse a few more times until well mixed.
Slowly add the ice water and pulse again until a ball is formed.
Remove, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for half an hour.
Remove the ball of dough from the refrigerator.
Place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper.
Flatten the dough using a rolling pin, then place it in a 9-inch / 23-cm removable-bottom pie dish, pressing with your fingers to fit the dough into the mould, cutting the excess dough.
Place the ready mould in the freezer for 10 minutes before adding the filling into the crust.

PÂTE SABLÉE FOR 2 PIE CRUSTS

• 2 1/2 cups / 315 g flour
• 1 cup / 230 g (2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine at room temperature
• 2 tbsp sugar
• A pinch salt
• 1/4 cup / 60 ml ice water

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt and mix well.
Add the butter and mix.
Add the ice water while continuing to mix.
Keep mixing until a ball is formed, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Can be frozen to be used at a later date.

FILLING

• 8 oz. / 227 g can pear halves in syrup, drained.
• 1 1/2 cup / 180 g ground blanched almonds, not almond flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup / 115 g /1 stick butter or margarine, melted
• 1/3 cup / 65 g sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 cup / 60 ml rum

Drain the pears, pour the syrup into a saucepan and set aside.
Then pat the drained pears dry and set aside.
In a bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until pale yellow.
Mix in the melted butter, vanilla, almond extract, rum, ground almonds, combine and set aside.
Remove the pie pan from the freezer.
Pour in the filling mixture.
Then, holding a pear half in the palm of your hand with the cut side down, cut into a fan shape then push the cut pear to spread into a fan.
Gently place the pear over the filling.
Repeat the process, sprinkle almond slivers only over the filling, not over the pears.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, let cool before glazing.

GLAZE

• 3 tbsp apricot jam

In a saucepan, melt the apricot jam over low heat to liquefy, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and glaze the tart using a pastry brush.

Images: Anne Fillion

Read also: other recipes

Monique Singer is a cultural creator now based in Montreal, usually found travelling the world, experiencing other cultures and sharing what she finds most interesting. At the top of her food passion is her attraction for spices, their benefits and the distinctive flavour they bring to all dishes. LinkedIn