Pears With Almond Cream Recipes

JOHN'S PEAR AND ALMOND-CREAM TART

Steps:

• Make dough: In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and granulated sugar; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, gradually add up to 2 tablespoons more ice water).
• Transfer dough (still crumbly) onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form into a 3/4-inch-thick disk; wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to a 12-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan, pressing up sides. Run a rolling pin across the top of pan to trim the edge; refrigerate.
• Make filling: In a food processor, pulse almonds with confectioners' sugar until finely ground. Add butter, egg, flour, salt, and almond extract; process almond cream until well combined.
• Spread 1/4 cup jam on bottom of tart shell, then spread almond cream on top; chill for 15 minutes. Arrange pear slices in a fan pattern over almond cream; place tart on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and almond cream is puffed and set. Transfer tart to a wire rack; let cool in pan. Remove tart from pan. Melt remaining 1/4 cup jam; brush over tart.

ITALIAN PEAR ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 375° F.
• Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and white sugar together at medium speed until pale in colour and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl between eggs (be sure to get all the way to the bottom of the bowl, where unincorporated butter can hide.. With the mixer on low, mix in the all purpose flour, ground almonds and baking powder. Spoon the batter into the prepared springform pan and use a spatula to even out the mixture. (Batter will be thick and fill the pan only to about an inch thick).
• Prepare pears, by peeling, then cutting in half from the stem end to the bottom. Use a small spoon to remove the core and also scrape away the thick spine that runs up to the stem end. Set aside.
• Arrange the pear halves in a circle on the top, cut side down and with the thin end towards the centre of the cake. Sprinkle flaked almonds over-top. Bake in pre-heated 375° oven for about 35 minutes, or until the cake tests clean when a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake.
• Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin, then run a knife around the outside and carefully remove the ring and base. Dust with icing/confectioners' sugar before serving.

PEAR AND ALMOND CREAM TART

Steps:

• To make the shortcrust, add the flour, butter in a food processor and pulse it until the butter and the four resemble cornmeal. Add the water and pulse a few more times until the dough comes together. Wrap the dough up in plastic wrap and refrigerate it until you're ready to use it.
• Roll out the pastry dough into a thin circle and use it to line a 9 inch tart pan or pie pan.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees and place a baking sheet in the oven.
• In a food processor add the blanched almonds and pulse until they are finely ground. Add the butter and process again until they get creamy, add sugar, the egg and the egg white, almond extract and mix well.
• Pour the almond cream into the pastry shell.
• The pears need to be pealed and cut in half, then remove the cores and rub them with the lemon juice. With the pear halves cut side down on a cutting board, slice them thinly crosswise.
• Press down on the top of the slices to fan out the pear slices. Use a spatula to transfer the pear to the tart as you see in the picture below. Repeat with remaining pear halves.
• Place the tart pan on the hot baking sheet and bake it for about 50 to 55 minutes, make sure the almond filling is set and golden brown.
• In a small sauce pan heat the water or brandy and jam, then use this to brush the top of the hot tart to glaze it.
• Serve at room temperature.

PEARS WITH ALMOND AND CHANTILLY CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium mixing bowl combine pudding, whipped topping, and almond extract. Gently fold together until just combined. Arrange 3 pears in each serving dish. Top with 1/4 cup of the whipped topping mixture. Garnish with a tablespoon of toasted almonds.

ALMOND PEAR TORTE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, butter, sugar, almonds and nutmeg. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar and extract until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust., For topping, combine brown sugar and nutmeg. Add pears; toss to coat. Arrange over top. Sprinkle with almonds., Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate leftovers.

PEARS WITH ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Whip the cream with an electric beater until it is thickened. Add the sugar and continue beating until soft peaks are formed. Gently fold in the yogurt and almond extract. The cream will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for 2 days.
• Core and slice the pears and arrange slices of half a pear on each serving plate. Top each with 3 tablespoons of the cream and sprinkle with almonds.