French Pear Tart #recipe + #GIVEAWAY from author @DarylWoodGerber

GIVEAWAY BELOW

From Daryl aka Avery:

How many of you received my recent newsletter? If you didn't, then you don't know about the book giveaway on my website. You'd better sign up soon. The giveaway will end November 6. I'm offering my books plus a few of my pal authors' books. Reading galore! Hording up for the fall and winter. Or books for you to giveaway at the holidays. All because I want to celebrate the upcoming release of A DEADLY ÉCLAIR.  Here's the newsletter LINK.  

FYI, by signing up for my newsletter, you get exclusive access to the Savor the Mystery club on my website. That's ultimately where the giveaway picture is! Plus, if you're signed up, you'll be able to read a fun short story that features my new protagonist in November. 

And now, down to business. Foodie business. Today I'm sharing possibly my prettiest tart ever. I love making pies. I've made them all my life. I've become quite adept at making a gluten-free crust (not an easy task). I'm providing the recipes for both regular and gluten-free crusts because at one time I used to sell pies (with regular crusts) around my neighborhood, plus I'd make over 30 every summer with the fresh apples and berries we had in our garden.

Now, I have to rely on sense memory for a regular flour crust, but I promise, the recipe works!  My family and friends confirm it - if you can trust them. And the gluten-free crust has just the right texture. Enjoy!

As for the design of this tart, I adapted this recipe from a lovely foodie website called The Mediterranean Dish.  I would never have figured out how to make the scalloped design without the site's photographs. My recipe varies slightly, but I attribute the beauty to my fellow foodie. And the tip about how to remove the shell of a tart pan with a separate bottom--all her idea. Brilliant!  (See below)

Enjoy.

French Pear Tart

aka Pear Tartin

Crust

(Regular)

(*Gluten-free Crust Recipe Below)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

6 large pears, washed

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon water

3/4 cup fig preserves

1/4 teaspoon salt

Set one oven rack in the middle of the oven and set another at the top or second to the top slot (depending on how hot your broiler is).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar and salt. Add melted butter and combine to form dough. Set the dough into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough along the bottom and onto the side rims of the pan.

Place the crust in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 28-30 minutes, or until crust turns golden brown. When ready, remove crust from oven and let it cool. Leave oven on.

Meanwhile, set the fig preserves into a small microwaveable bowl and heat for about 40 seconds. Pour the fig preserves through a mesh strainer into a bowl to separate chunks from liquid.  Don’t throw away either portion. Set aside.

Now, slice three pears into 1/2-inch slices, discarding core. (You do not need to peel.) Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet. Add pear slices plus 1 tablespoon water. Cover and cook on medium heat until pears are slightly tender— about 3 minutes. Remove pears onto a large plate and let cool.

Take the remaining three pears and cut them in the same manner. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in previously used skillet. Add the uncooked pears, chunks of fig reserves, and salt. Cook on medium heat, covered, for ten minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure they cook through. You want them to be very tender.

Using a potato masher, mash the pears and fig reserves into a puree. Let cook for another 5-7 minutes or until pureed mixture reduces and thickens. It will turn a darker color. That’s okay.

Transfer pear-fig puree onto the cooled tart crust; spread evenly. It will fill up nicely.

Next, take the cooled pear slices that you set side and assemble them in layered circles, starting at the outer edges, like a rose petal design. You might have to trim a few to make them fit together.

Place tart on the middle rack of the oven. Bake at 350 degrees F for 28-30 minutes.

Just before the tart is finished baking, warm up the strained liquid fig preserves for 20 seconds in the microwave.

When the tart is cooked, remove it from oven and brush the surface of the pears evenly with the warmed fig liquid. Return the tart to the oven and place on the top rack (or second to the top rack). Broil very briefly!!! 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully until pears get a nice caramelized look. You don’t want the fig jam to burn.

Remove from oven and let cool for at least 1 1/2 hours before serving.

When ready—and this is a nifty trick—place the bottom of the tart pan on a wide can of food. Hold the ring part of the pan and carefully slide it downwards. It leaves a perfectly formed crust.

Cut pear fig tart into eight slices and serve.

💗

GLUTEN-FREE CRUST:

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1 cup sweet rice flour

1 tablespoon whey flour

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

5 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix together cornstarch, tapioca flour, sweet rice flour, whey flour, xanthan gum, sugar and salt. Add melted butter and combine to form dough. Set the dough into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough along the bottom and onto the side rims of the pan.

Place the crust in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 28-30 minutes, or until crust turns golden brown. When ready, remove crust from oven and let sit to cool. Leave oven on. Return to main recipe: “Meanwhile, set the fig preserves…”

Enjoy!

💗

GIVEAWAY!

Today I'm giving away a deck of French Bistro Mystery playing cards. When you're not reading, you play solitaire don't you? I love the game. I can't get enough of it when I'm on vacation. It settles my mind. What games do you like to play when you're on vacation? Leave your email in case you win! Good luck.

Savor the mystery!

💗

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A DEADLY ÉCLAIR, the 1st in the French Bistro Mysteries, is coming November 2017. Can Mimi clear her name before the killer turns up the heat? Click here to order.

GRILLING THE SUBJECT, the 5th Cookbook Nook Mystery, is out!

The Wild West Extravaganza has come to Crystal Cove.

Click here to order.

FOR CHEDDAR OR WORSE, the 7th Cheese Shop Mystery is out!

Finally there's going to be a cheese festival in Providence!

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GIRL ON THE RUN
                                a stand-alone suspense

When a fairytale fantasy night becomes a nightmare, 

Chessa Paxton must run for her life...but will the truth set her free? 

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DAY OF SECRETS
my new stand-alone suspense
A mother he thought was dead. A father he never knew. 
An enemy that wants them dead.
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