Clark Ferrea Albariño-Poached Pear Tart

Recipe Information

• Prep Time: 45 Minutes
• Cook Time: 75 Minutes
• Total Time: 120 Minutes
• Serving Size: 1 slice of a 9-inch tart
• Total Servings: 8

Ingredients

Albariño-poached pears

• 3 firm Bosc pears or 4 firm-but-not-soft Comice pears
• 1½ cups Clark Ferrea Albariño
• ½ cup water
• 0.33 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 wide strip lemon peel
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 or 4 thin slices of fresh ginger (optional)

Almond tart crust

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup almond flour
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ½ cup cold unsalted butter (cut into small cubes)
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water (as needed)

Almond frangipane

• ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

Finishing

• 2 to 3 tablespoons reduced poaching liquid
• 1 tsp honey
• Sliced almonds (lightly toasted)
• Crème fraîche or softly whipped cream (for serving)

Directions

Poach the pears

1. Peel the pears, halve them lengthwise, and remove the cores with a melon baller or small spoon. For the prettiest presentation, leave the stems intact on two pear halves, if possible.

2. Combine the Albariño, water, sugar, honey, lemon peel, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon stick, and ginger, if using, in a wide saucepan. Bring just to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

3. Add the pear halves. Cover them with a round of parchment paper, pressing it directly onto the fruit so the pears stay submerged as much as possible.

4. Simmer gently (do not boil) until a knife slips into the thickest part of a pear with little resistance: Bosc, about 20 to 30 minutes; Comice, about 12 to 20 minutes. The timing will vary with the ripeness and size of the fruit. Bosc pears are especially dependable for this recipe because they retain their shape during poaching and baking.

5. Transfer the pears to a plate or shallow dish to cool. Continue simmering the poaching liquid until it reduces to about 1/2 cup and becomes lightly syrupy, 12 to 18 minutes. Strain out the aromatics. Reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons for glazing the tart; save the rest for spooning over yogurt, ice cream, or cheese.

Make the crust

1. In a food processor, pulse the flour, almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt until combined.

2. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand with a few pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.

3. Add the egg yolk and pulse briefly. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, only until the dough begins to clump when pinched between your fingers.

4. Turn the dough onto a work surface, gather it into a disk, wrap it, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

5. Heat the oven to 375°F. Roll the chilled dough into an approximately 11-inch circle and gently fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim excess dough and prick the base all over with a fork.

6. Freeze the crust for 15 minutes. Line it with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake 5 to 7 minutes longer, until the crust looks dry and is just beginning to color. Cool slightly.

Prepare the filling

1. Beat the softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

2. Beat in the egg, followed by the almond flour, all-purpose flour, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest. The mixture should be thick but spreadable.

3. Spread the frangipane evenly across the bottom of the partially baked tart shell.

Assemble and bake

1. Pat the poached pears dry with paper towels. Slice each pear half thinly, keeping the slices together so you can fan them across the tart.

2. Arrange the pear halves over the frangipane in a circular pattern, gently fanning the slices as you place them. Press them lightly into the filling.

3. Bake at 375°F for 30 to 38 minutes, until the frangipane puffs, the edges are golden, and the center is set. If the crust browns too quickly, loosely cover the edge with foil.

4. Let the tart cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Stir together 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reduced poaching liquid with 1 teaspoon honey, then brush it over the warm pears for shine.

5. Scatter with toasted sliced almonds. Serve warm or at room temperature with crème fraîche or softly whipped cream.

Serving note

1. The tart is lovely with a final small pour of Clark Ferrea Albariño, especially if you keep the poaching syrup and glaze lightly sweet rather than sugary. The dessert’s almond cream, citrus, honey, and poached pear flavors echo the wine’s fruit-forward freshness without overpowering it.

2. For an even more dinner-party-ready presentation, make the tart a day ahead, refrigerate it uncovered once fully cool, then bring it to room temperature for 30 minutes and warm it briefly in a 300°F oven before serving.