Pear Tarte Tatin
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
9 hard medium pears (such as Bartlett), peeled, halved lengthwise, cored
One single-crust pastry or one Pillsbury All-Ready Pie Crust
Crème fraîche or lightly sweetened whipped cream, both optional
Directions:
Put rack in lower area of oven; preheat oven to 400 F.
Heat butter in 9½-inch ovenproof heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) or tarte Tatin pan over medium-high heat. When melted, brush butter up sides of skillet or pan. Add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice to pan. Mix with butter. Gently cook until fluid, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Arrange 10 pear halves around pan edge, spoke fashion, cut side up, with narrow end of pears placed toward center, as close together as possible. Use 2 pear halves to fill in center. Cut remaining pears in half lengthwise to cover spaces, making pear layer as even as possible.
Return pan to stove over medium-high heat. Cook until juices start to boil, then reduce heat to low boil. Cook, uncovered, until bottoms of pears are caramelized, about 30 minutes. To test pears, use fork to carefully lift pear to make sure it's caramelized and tawny brown. If necessary, turn up heat to darken caramel, watching carefully to avoid scorching. Remove from heat.
Center pastry over pears. Use kitchen shears to trim overhang.
Bake until pastry is well browned and pears are tender (test with point of sharp paring knife through crust), about 25 minutes. Let cool on rack for 10 minutes.
Run point of small knife around edge of pan to loosen. Place a large platter over skillet. Holding platter and skillet together with two potholders, carefully but quickly invert tarte onto plate. Leave skillet in place for 5 minutes to let it settle, then carefully remove skillet. Use spatula to transfer any caramel in skillet to tarte. Can be made several hours ahead and reheated in 200-F oven until warm, about 20 minutes. Serve warm with crème fraîche or whipped cream, if using. Makes 8 servings.
PER SERVING (without garnish): Cal 313 (30% fat) Fat 11 g (5 g sat) Fiber 3 g Chol 15 mg Sodium 104 mg Carb 55 g Calcium 15 mg
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
9 hard medium pears (such as Bartlett), peeled, halved lengthwise, cored
One single-crust pastry or one Pillsbury All-Ready Pie Crust
Crème fraîche or lightly sweetened whipped cream, both optional
Directions:
Put rack in lower area of oven; preheat oven to 400 F.
Heat butter in 9½-inch ovenproof heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) or tarte Tatin pan over medium-high heat. When melted, brush butter up sides of skillet or pan. Add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice to pan. Mix with butter. Gently cook until fluid, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Arrange 10 pear halves around pan edge, spoke fashion, cut side up, with narrow end of pears placed toward center, as close together as possible. Use 2 pear halves to fill in center. Cut remaining pears in half lengthwise to cover spaces, making pear layer as even as possible.
Return pan to stove over medium-high heat. Cook until juices start to boil, then reduce heat to low boil. Cook, uncovered, until bottoms of pears are caramelized, about 30 minutes. To test pears, use fork to carefully lift pear to make sure it's caramelized and tawny brown. If necessary, turn up heat to darken caramel, watching carefully to avoid scorching. Remove from heat.
Center pastry over pears. Use kitchen shears to trim overhang.
Bake until pastry is well browned and pears are tender (test with point of sharp paring knife through crust), about 25 minutes. Let cool on rack for 10 minutes.
Run point of small knife around edge of pan to loosen. Place a large platter over skillet. Holding platter and skillet together with two potholders, carefully but quickly invert tarte onto plate. Leave skillet in place for 5 minutes to let it settle, then carefully remove skillet. Use spatula to transfer any caramel in skillet to tarte. Can be made several hours ahead and reheated in 200-F oven until warm, about 20 minutes. Serve warm with crème fraîche or whipped cream, if using. Makes 8 servings.
PER SERVING (without garnish): Cal 313 (30% fat) Fat 11 g (5 g sat) Fiber 3 g Chol 15 mg Sodium 104 mg Carb 55 g Calcium 15 mg
