Red Wine Poached Pear Tart with Cinnamon-Vanilla Pastry Cream
From the CorkSavvy Kitchens
Serves 8
4-6 Red Wine Poached Pears
For Pastry Cream:
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 egg yolks
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
For Pastry Dough:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, chilled
3-4 Tablespoons ice water
For Pastry Cream:
In a medium saucepan, combine the cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, milk and 1/4 cups sugar and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in milk mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat until pastry cream thickens and bubbles, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill until cold.
For the Pastry dough:
Combine flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in bowl of food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles a course meal. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time until mixtures comes together. Remove dough and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill at least on hour until firm.
Preheat over to 375 degress. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until 1/8 of an inch thick. Fit into fluted 9 inch removable bottom pan and pierce dough all over with a fork. Freeze for 30 minutes. Bake until golden brown, pressing down with the bottom of a metal spoon or measuring cup if bubbles start to form, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.
To assemble:
Spread pastry cream evenly into tart shell. Slice pears in half and remove the cores. Cut pears lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Place decoratively on top of pastry cream.
CorkSavvy Wine Suggestions: Mercer Pinot Gris 2007 or a Prosecco such as Prosecco Brut Mionetto
