Words Joan Saunders
Photos Sarah Hartley Photography
Pears have always been one of my favourite fruits. When I was a kid, my family would travel up to the Okanagan each summer to camp at the lake, and on the way back we would always stop at the roadside stands to pick up cases of peaches, pears and apricots.
Once we got home, my mom would be enveloped in steam for days as she put up dozens of jars of fruit for enjoying later in the year. Home-canned jars of peaches and pears were always a welcome treat throughout the rainy days of winter.
I still do home canning, but sometimes it’s such a pleasure to take the glorious end-of-summer bounty, like my favourite, the pear, and transform it into something that’s beautiful to look at yet also so darn tasty. I have found that a long, narrow tart provides a wonderful opportunity to showcase the curvy shape of pears, while the nutty pastry and a smooth, very tasty filling brings all of the flavours together so wonderfully.
You want to choose firm yet ripe pears for this dessert as some are much better suited for baking than others. The pears should be sweet, have tender flesh, and still keep their shape when cooked. Another important characteristic is the ripeness of the pear, as unripe pears can be too firm and tart, while overripe pears can be too soft and mushy.
What I love about this recipe is that the crust isn’t rolled out: you press the dough into the tart pan. You should try to ensure that the pastry is as even as you can get it, but you don’t need to roll it out then transfer it to the pan. And, if you want to add even more flavour to the filling, try a local infused honey. Maybe lavender? Fireweed? Use whatever strikes your fancy.
But the pears are really the stars of this show, as their subtle sweetness, along with the hazelnuts, work together to create a dessert that’s a perfect showcase for the bounty and beauty of the season.
Crust:
½ cup chopped hazelnuts
½ cup unsalted butter
at room temperature (and extra for coating the pan)
¼ cup firmly packed
light brown sugar
3 tbsp liquid honey
1 cup all purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp almond extract
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pulse the nuts in a food processor until they are mostly finely textured. It’s OK if some pieces are a little bit coarse.
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or in a bowl with a hand mixer, mix together butter with sugar and honey. Add ground hazelnuts and remaining ingredients. Mix until combined. You will end up with a soft, pliable dough that resembles a cookie mixture.
Lightly brush with butter a rectangular fluted tart pan (13 ½ x 4 ¾ inch) or nine-inch round tart pan (either should have a removeable bottom). Put dough in the pan and evenly press it into the pan, making sure you press it into the corners and seal up any cracks. Prick dough all over with a fork. Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°. Place the pan on a baking sheet and cook until the crust is golden brown, 15 minutes. Take the pan off the baking sheet and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before adding filling.
Filling:
½ cup mascarpone
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp honey
1 ¼ tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
1 tbsp sifted flour
2 tsp hazelnut flour (or very finely chopped hazelnuts)
3-4 ripe but still firm pears, peeled, cored, thinly sliced. Recommended: Bosc, Anjou or Bartlett
¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped for garnish
icing sugar for dusting/garnish
In a bowl, whisk together mascarpone, egg, honey, almond, vanilla. Add the sifted flour and hazelnut flour; whisk until fully incorporated into mixture. When filling is a smooth consistency, pour it into the cooled crust, smooth out evenly; arrange pear slices as preferred on top of filling. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350°; you want the filling set, and fruit softened. Put baked tart on cooling rack. Cool slightly before carefully removing from the pan.
Before serving, garnish with chopped toasted hazelnuts and dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Adapted/amalgamated from the amazing cookbooks:
Cook Beautiful, Athena Calderone The Artful Pie Project, Denise Marchessault & Deb Garlick
and personal trial and error
