Pear And Hazelnut Frangipane Tart

Pear And Hazelnut Frangipane Tart

Ingredients:

Tart Shell:

1 3/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

 3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Frangipane:

1 cup hazelnuts, loose skins rubbed off in a kitchen 

   towel and cooled.

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup all purpose flour

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3 firm-ripe Bosc or Anjou pears

1/4 cup apricot preserves, heated and strained

Directions:   

Tart Shell

Blend together flour, sugar, salt, butter, and shortening with your fingertips or apastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of the mixture resembles coarse meal with (roughly small pea-size) butter lumps.  Drizzle evenly with 3 tablespoons of ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in food processor) until incorporated.

Squeeze a small handful:  If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring or pulsing just until incorporated, then test again.  (If you overwork the mixture, pastry will be tough.) 

Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 portions.  With heel of hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion.  Gather dough together with scraper and press into a ball, then flatten into a 6-inch disk.  Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface and fit into tart pan.  Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2 inch overhang, then fold overhang inward and press against side of pan to reinforce edge. Lightly prick bottom and sides with a fork.  Chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375*F to bake Tart Shell

Line tart shell with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights.  Bake in middle of oven until pastry is pale golden along rim, 20 minutes.  Carefully remove foil and weights and bake until golden all over, 10 or more minutes.  Cool in pan on a rack.

Frangipane: 

Preheat oven to 350*F To Bake Frangipane

Pulse hazelnuts with 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor until finely ground, then add flour and pulse to combine.

Beat together butter and remaining 1/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer at moderately high speed until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in extracts.  Reduce speed to low and mix in nut mixture until just combined.

Spread frangipane evenly in unbaked tart shell.  Peel, halve, and core pears, then cut lengthwise into 1/4" thick slices, holding slices together to keep pear shape intact.  Arrange pears decoratively on filling, fanning slices slightly.  Bake until pears are golden and frangipane is puffed and golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.  Brush pears (not filling) with preserves and cool tart completely in pan on rack, then remove sides of pan.  Makes 10 servings.