Pear and almond tart

Slightly sprinkle the work surface with flour, then spread the dough using a rolling pin. Turn the dough regularly to spread it evenly in all directions.

When the shortbread dough is large enough (about 4 cm bigger in radius than the circle) and has a thickness of about 3 mm, wrap the dough around the rolling pin without pressing.

Take the pastry ring previously greased with a piece of butter, place it on the work surface sprinkled with flour, then roll out the dough over it.

Push down the shortbread dough to the bottom of the circle, using your hands to avoid stretching it, while turning the pastry ring, to form a right angle between the circle and the work surface.

Create a 1 cm wide dough edge all around by pressing the dough on the circle. Pass the rolling pin over the circle to cut the excess dough that you remove.

Raise the dough edges by pinching it between two fingers and pressing on the circle. Finally, run your fingernail over the edge of the pastry ring to facilitate the unmolding.

Place this pie shell of shortbread dough in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.

For the almond cream, soften the butter by gradually heating it in the microwave on low power.

Mix the softened butter with the caster sugar, then mix vigorously manually with a whisk or with an electric mixer for about one minute.

Add the eggs one by one, making sure to mix thoroughly each time. Add the almond powder, then mix gently with a whisk to start.

Then mix vigorously with the whisk for a few minutes. The cream will whiten, and increase in volume until a creamy and airy consistency is obtained.

Add the flour and rum (optional), then mix to obtain a very homogeneous almond cream.

Garnish the pie shell with this almond cream that you have just made, then using a spoon, spread it evenly over the entire surface.

Cut 8 to 10 half pears into strips using a small knife, while keeping their shape. Apply light pressure with your hand on each half-pear to reveal the strips.

Place the star-shaped pears on the almond cream, using the knife or a small palette knife.

Bake this almond pie with pears for 25 to 30 minutes, in an oven preheated between 180 ° C and 210 ° C depending on your oven, while monitoring the cooking process regularly.

When removed from the oven, slide the almond pie with pears onto a wire rack to allow it to cool, then remove the pastry ring.

Using a small kitchen blowtorch, brown the pear edges for a better look and taste.

In a saucepan, heat the pie coating, or the apricot jam without pieces with 30% water, over low heat, then coat the top of your pie with a brush.