Ginger Butterscotch Pear Tart With Pate Sucre Recipes

PEAR GINGER TART

Steps:

• Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a paring knife. Place the water and the 1/2 cup (100 grams) of sugar in a saucepan, add the vanilla bean and seeds and bring to a boil over medium heat. When the syrup comes to a boil turn the heat to low, add the pears, and poach on medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the pears soften slightly. Do not over-cook. Set a strainer over a bowl and carefully transfer the pears to the strainer. Refrigerate and let drip overnight. Set aside the syrup for another purpose (it's great with yogurt or ice cream).
• The next day prebake the pastry [ed: please link], then turn the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons (30 grams) sugar together in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the milk, egg yolks and vanilla extract.
• Toss the poached pears with the diced candied ginger and arrange evenly over the bottom of the prebaked tart shell. Pour in the custard mixture, filling the tart 4/5 of the way so that a rim of crust is exposed. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until beginning to color and the flan has set.

GINGER BUTTERSCOTCH PEAR TART

Steps:

• Make the shell:
• In a food processor grind coarse the walnuts with the sugar,add the flour, the salt, and the butter, and blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add 3 tablespoons ice water, and toss the mixture until the water is incorporated. Press the dough into the bottom and up the side of a 7 1/2-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim, crimping the edge decoratively, and prick the bottom with a fork. Chill the shell for 30 minutes, line it with foil, and fill the foil with the rice. Bake the shell in the middle of a preheated 425°F. oven for 7 minutes, remove the rice and foil carefully, and bake the shell for 5 minutes more, or until it is golden. Let the shell cool in the pan on a rack.
• Poach the pears:
• In a saucepan just large enough to hold the pears in one layer combine the wine, the cinnamon stick, and the sugar and bring the liquid to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the pears, peeled, and poach them, turning them occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until they are just tender. Let the pears cool in the syrup.
• Make the ginger butterscotch pastry cream:
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat lightly the egg yolks. Add the brown sugar, a little at a time, beating, beat the mixture until it ribbons when the beaters are lifted, and beat in the flour. Add the milk, scalded, in a stream, whisking, transfer the mixture to a heavy saucepan, and bring it to a boil over moderately low heat, stirring constantly. Boil the mixture, stirring constantly , for 2 minutes. Strain the pastry cream through a fine sieve into a bowl and stir in the butter, the salt, and the gingerroot. Let the pastry cream cool, its surface covered with a buttered round of wax paper, for 1 hour.
• Remove the rim of the tart pan, set the shell on a platter, removing the bottom of the pan, and spread the pastry cream in the shell. Arrange the pears, drained, cut lengthwise into sixths, and cored in a spoke pattern on top of the pastry cream.