Pear and Almond Tart

OMG! This PEAR & ALMOND TART is as easy as it is delicious! And it is VERY delicious! The frangipane is super easy to make and you will love how it puffs up and browns just slightly in the oven! The depth of flavors in the bake are very sophisticated but you'll be delighted with how quick and easy it comes together! Pear and Almond Slices Pastry 1⅔ cups (200g) all-purpose flour 2 tbsp confectioners' sugar 7 tbsp (100g) cold butter, diced 1 large egg, beaten 1 tsp lemon juice 2-3 tsp cold water Filling 7 tbsp (100g) unsalted butter ½ cup (100g) superfine sugar 2 large eggs ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp (50g) all-purpose flour ¾ cup (75g) almond flour A dash of almond extract ½ cup (125g) ginger preserves (or the fruit spread of your choice) 2 ripe, firm dessert pears To finish 3 tbsp (20g) sliced almonds Confectioners' sugar, to dust To make the pastry, mix the flour and confectioners' sugar together in a large bowl and add the butter. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mix until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and lemon juice and mix in, using a dinner knife. Now mix in the water, 1 tsp at a time, until the pastry comes together, adding just as much as you need to form a dough. Knead the pastry gently to form a smooth ball then wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes. Heat your oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a ⅛-inch (3mm) thickness and use to line a 13 × 4-inch (32 × 10cm) rectangular tart pan with a removable base (1). Leave the excess pastry overhanging the edges of the pan. Stand the pan on a baking sheet. Line the pie crust with parchment paper, add a layer of baking beans and bake 'blind' for 12-15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans (2) and return to the oven for 5 minutes until the pastry base is very lightly colored. Remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Use a small, sharp knife to trim away the excess pastry from the edge of the pan. For the filling, to make the frangipane, beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the all-purpose flour, almond flour and almond extract. Spread the ginger preserves [NOTE: I could not locate ginger preserves locally so substituted fig spread!] over the base of the pie crust. Top with the frangipane and spread evenly (3). Halve, core and thinly slice the pears then arrange overlapping on the frangipane, gently pushing them in (4). Bake for 10 minutes, then scatter the sliced almonds over the surface and bake for another 15 minutes until golden. Leave to cool completely in the pan. Cut the tart into slices and carefully remove from the pan. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. #kingarthurbaking #bakerspin #bakerspinnorthampton #ateco #hedleyandbennett #hedleyb #hedley&Bennett #boosblock #lamson #lamsonproducts #foodphotographer #patrickspahrphoto