Autumn is already here! Is there a better way to welcome fall than with this vanilla custard tart with poached pears in rosé wine? Keeping the last traces of summer close at heart while moving towards the pear season.
VANILLA CUSTARD TART W/ POACHED PEARS IN ROSE WINE
Ingredients (for a tart base of 24 cm diameter // makes 8 servings)
TART BASE
200 g all purpose flour
50 g almond flour
120 g margarine, at room temperature
80 g powder sugar
the contents of one vanilla pod
1/4 teaspoon himalayan salt
4 tablespoons oat milk or other plant-based milk
CUSTARD
500 ml oat milk
40 g all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
60 g brown sugar
2 tablespoons rosé wine
2 tablespoons margarine
the contents of two vanilla pods
1/4 teaspoon himalayan salt
optional: if you have the chance to find locally farmed eggs, add 4 egg yolks to the recipe and cook them on low fire together with the milk.
POACHED PEARS
4 French butter pears, Anjous or Bosc pears
4 cups rosé wine
1 tablespoon cardamon pods
4 cinnamon sticks
120 g brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
a pinch of salt
DECORATION (optional)
50 g sliced almonds, oven-roasted
PREPARATION
CUSTARD // preferably prepared the night before
In a pan, combine the milk with the sugar (and optionally the locally farmed egg yolks). Simmer on low fire while constantly stirring - using a whisk. In a separate bowl combine the flour with the cornstarch and add a few tablespoons of the milk/sugar mix. Stir well until smooth. Add it to the rest of the milk/sugar mix in the pan and cook on low fire for approximately 5 minutes until the milk thickens up to cream. Remove from fire, add the margarine, rosé wine, vanilla and salt. Cook for a minute or two while constantly stirring. Remove from fire and let the cream slightly cool before you cover it with a piece of plastic wrap and transfer it in the refrigerator. The plastic wrap has to touch the surface of the custard so that the cream won’t dry out. Let the custard sit in the refrigerator for at least two hours and preferably overnight.
TART CELL
In a mixing bowl, combine the margarine with the powder sugar, the contents of the vanilla pod and the almond flour. Gradually sieve in some flour and add some milk. Mix well and continue alternatively adding the rest of the flour and the milk. Mix well - with your hands - until all ingredients are well combined into a firm & even dough. Mold it to a round ball and wrap it in plastic foil. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the over at 180°C
After 2 hours, remove the dough from the refrigerator and cover the tart form with a thin layer of dough. Press it slightly with your fingers to form an even cell and cut the excess dough that is folding over the edges of the tart form. Pinch the tart cell - using a fork - and bake for 15-20 min at 180°C in preheated oven. When ready, remove the tart cell from the oven, place it on a cooling rack and let it cool completely before you fill it with the custard.
POACHED PEARS
In the meantime prepare the poached pears:
Peel the pears. Slice them in half and remove their core. In a pan, on low fire, simmer the sugar, the rosé, cinnamon sticks and cardamon pods. Add the lemon juice and the salt. When the sugar is completely dissolved, add the pears and if necessary some water too so that the pears are completely submerged. Cook on low fire for 15-20 minutes until the pears turn a little bit tender but not too soft. Remove the pears from the pan, set them aside and let them cool at room temperature.
When the tart cell is completely cool, fill it with the custard. Slice the pears while leaving the top part close to the stem as whole and place them on the custard. Sprinkle with some oven-roasted sliced almonds.
Enjoy! x AM
