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!
💗
Friend Daryl and Avery on Facebook
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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!
Click to order.
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GIRL ON THE RUN
a stand-alone suspense
a stand-alone suspense
When a fairytale fantasy night becomes a nightmare, 
