Holiday Pear Tart

Makes 1 tart, or several individual tarts

Poached pears:

4 Bosc pears, not too ripe

1 bottle red wine, minus a glass for you

1½ cups sugar

2 star anise

1 clove

½ cinnamon stick

Pâte sucrée dough (or use a pre-made pastry crust):

8 ounces (1 stick) butter

½ cup sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1 egg

Just a touch of vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Filling:

2 tablespoons brown butter solids from a stick of butter(see instructions below)

1½ eggs (see instructions below)

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon flour

Just a touch of vanilla extract

Slivered almonds, optional

Creme Chantilly (sweetened whipped cream with a touch of vanilla)

Directions

Peel the pears, cut them in half and cut out the cores.

In a saucepan large enough to hold all the pears, combine the red wine, sugar and spices. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Add the pears and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pears are tender but not falling apart. Remove the pears from the liquid and allow to cool.

Continue to simmer the liquid until it thickens and is thick enough to coat a spoon. Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine all the dough ingredients in a bowl, mixing until just combined. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to an hour. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough out and fit it into your tart pan. Place a sheet of parchment paper or foil in the bottom of the crust and add pie weights or dried beans, so the crust stays flat during baking. Blind bake the tart for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and lower heat to 350 degrees. For the filling, melt a stick or two of butter in a skillet, continuing to cook and stirring occasionally as it gradually browns to a hazelnut shade. Watch carefully near the end, stirring all the while — the time between almost there and burned is swift. Remove skillet from heat and continue to stir for a minute more. Let cool. Then strain and measure out 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of brown butter solids — beurre noisette — for this recipe. (Use the clarified butter you drained off for cooking. Use any leftover brown butter solids for spreading on toast or adding to steamed vegetables and other dishes for a pop of flavor.)

Crack one egg into a mixing bowl. Crack a second egg into a small bowl, beat it with a whisk and add half of it to the mixing bowl, along with the sugar, vanilla and flour. Whisk to combine, adding the browned butter at the end.

Now to put the tart together: Slice and fan the pears and arrange in the partially cooked tart shell with space between the slices. Pour in your brown butter filling. Add slivered almonds on top, if you wish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

Let cool before slicing. Serve with crème Chantilly and reserved red-wine syrup.