Pear Blossom. Almond Pear Tart Recipe. 100% vegan.

Their cold beauty is –

like fresh untouched snow.

light faint scent

entered in my clothes

the spring wind is not

slowing down even for a moment

it blowed to the jade porch

sweet scented snowdrift

(Qui Wei (694 -789 гг)

The best Chinese poets song the beauty of pear gardens blossom for centuries. Aboration and admiration of gentle snow-white pear flowers represent one of the favourite theme in Chinese culture and art.

Pear consists of 84% water and 15% carbohydrates (sugar and dietary fiber) plus not significant amount of fats and protein. Pears also contain B vitamins, vitamin C, A and K, iron, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium and copper.

In Chinese medicine pears are used to treat diabetes, as an ingredient for making cough syrup and their pulp is used for treating burns. First opera troupe of the emperor was called “Pear garden”.

In Europe pears were cultivated for the first time by the ancient Greeks around 1000 BC. Even thought pear was known in Ancient Rome. Homer mentioned pear in the Oddisey. Artists favor pear very much. Modern scientific gardeners were able to find ancient varieties of pears, thanks for the paintings of ancient Italian painters. And what a great paintings of pears were made by the geniuses of the Impressionism – Cezanne, Gauguin, Grabar.

It is said that the ancient Greeks dedicated pear to the Goddess of Hera – wife of Zeus and the home keeper.

Pear is the main part of the recipe. incredibly deliscious and tender pear tart cant leave anyone indifferent as it will gather the entire family together.

This recipe arrived from Boston, from the family of super warm hospitality. The recipe creator Ira Bernstein veganised the classical French tart recipe, and enhanced it with the pastry cream. Ira also generously shared several lifehacks of chef, which make the all process easier and more efficient. He also arrange for us the special tutorial, so all pictures are made during the cooking class when we were learning under the through control of the chef.

Almond Pear Tart Recipe. 100% VEGAN.

Ingredients

PEARS

4 cups water
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 -4 medium size firm but ripe Bosc pears
CRUST
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup blanched silvered almonds
1/4 tsp salt
9 Tbsp (1 stick and 1 Tbsp) vegan margarine (e.g. Earth Balance), room temperature
1 vegan “egg” (see instruction on the package)
1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour

ALMOND FILLING

2/3 cup blanched silvered almonds
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
6 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick)unsalted vegan margarine (e.g. Earth Balance) , room temperature
1 vegan egg replacement (prepared as per the instruction)

PASTRY CREAM

1 cup almond milk
2.5 vegan eggs
3 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
1 tsp vanilla flavouring

Directions

CRUST. Blend powdered sugar, almonds, and salt in the processor until nuts are finely ground. Add vegan margarine and blend until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl from time to time.Mix egg replacement. Add flour. Using on/ off turns ( or pulse mode) blend until dough comes together in clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and relax at least 3 hours in fridge (can made ahead, ca 2 days if needed, but keep in the fridge)
PEARS . Peel off pears. Bring 4 cups of water, sugar and lemon juice to boil in large saucepan over medium – high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add pears. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until pears are very tender, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool pears right in the syrup. (Can be made 2 days earlier). Cover and place in the fridge.
ALMOND FILLING. Finely grind almonds and flour in processor. Mix in sugar, then vegan margarine, blending until smooth. Mix in vegan egg. Place the filling in medium bowl. Cover and chill at least 3 hours ( can be also made 2 days in advance. Keep chilled)
PASTRY CREAM. In the medium-sized saucepan, heat the almond mylk over medium heat almost to boiling.While the mylk is heating, mix the vegan egg and sugar together in the large bowl.Then whisk in the flour and cornstarch until the mixture is smooth. Gradually whisk the hot milk into mixture in the large bowl. Strain the mixture back into the saucepan. Place over medium heat, stirring or constantly whisking until the mixture thickens and reaches a boil. Continue cooking for half a minute longer, stirring hard and constantly to keep the pastry cream smooth. Remove the pastry cream from the heat. Stir in the vanilla flavoring. Place a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to avoid a skin forming, and leave to cool to room temperature. Stir chilled pastry cream before using.
BAKING. Position rack in the center of oven and preheat to 375 F. Roll out chilled dough on floured sheet of parchment paper to 12-inch round, lifting and turning dough occasionally. to free form paper.Using paper as aid, turn dough into 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom; peel off paper. Seal and cracks on dough. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhand in making double -thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze crust 10 minutes.
Spread vegan margarine of the foil with the size slightly over the tart size. Line crust with foil, with fatted side down, then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust until sides are set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake crust until sides are golden and bottoms is set, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 10 minutes. Cool crust in pan on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F.
Spread almond filling evenly crust. Add pastry cream on top of is also evenly. Stem pears and cut each in half lengthwise; scoop out cores. Cut each half crosswise into thin slices. Gently press each pear half to fan slices but keep slices tightly overlapped. Slide spatula under pears and arrange atop filling like spokes of where with narrow ends in center.
Bake tart until golden and tester inserted into center of filling comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool tart in pan on rack. Push pan bottom up. releasing tart from pan. Cut tart into wedges, sprinkle with powdered sugar. if desired. SERVE