Pear, Mascarpone, and Hazelnut Tart

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Course: Dessert
Total Time: Under 4 Hours
Skill Level: Moderate
Cost: Inexpensive
Favorited: 15 Times

Can be made ahead of time.

Contributors

Victoria Blashford-Snell
Brigitte Hafner

Cookbook

Published by DK

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This fruity, rich tart with its deliciously nutty topping is a sensation for dinner parties.

Yield : 8 servings

Prep Time : 20 mins, plus chilling

Cooking Time : 50 mins

Ingredients

For the pastry dough

1¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out
3 tbsp sugar
grated zest of ½ lemon
6 tbsp butter, chilled and diced
1 large egg, beaten

For the filling

2/3 cup mascarpone
½ cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
3 tbsp whole milk, as needed
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 canned and drained pears, sliced
1/3 cup toasted, skinned, hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp apricot preserves, strained

Special Equipment:

9 in (23cm) tart pan with removable bottom
Baking beans

Directions

1. For the pastry, pulse the flour, sugar, and zest in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add the egg and pulse until the dough begins to clump together. Chill for 30 minutes. Roll out on a floured work surface into a round about 1/8 in (3mm) thick. Line a 9in (23cm) tart pan with a removable bottom, and trim the excess. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the pan with a round of wax paper and fill with baking beans. Bake about 12 minutes until the pastry looks set and begins to brown. Remove the paper and beans and bake 10 more minutes, until the pastry is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

3. Reduce the temperature to 325°F (170°C). Mix the mascarpone, sugar, egg and yolk, milk, and vanilla together until smooth and pour into the tart shell. Arrange the sliced pears in the filling, sprinkle with the hazelnuts, and then the sugar. Bake for 30 minutes or until the filling is just set.

4. Cool on a wire rack. Brush with the preserves, slice, and serve.