Pear and Almond Tart

Ingredients

For 8 servings

• •1 recipe pâte brisée or store-bought pie crust, blind-baked in a 9-inch tart shell according to directions (see notes)
• •113 g blanched or natural almond flour (4 ounces; 1 cup), see notes
• •85 g unsalted butter, room temperature (3 ounces; 6 tablespoons)
• •100 g granulated sugar (about 3 1/2 ounces; 1/2 cup)
• •16 g all-purpose flour (1/2 ounce; 2 tablespoons)
• •1 large egg, room temperature
• •1 c. à soupe (15ml) brandy or dark rum, optional
• •1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• •1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• •1 /2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
• •2 firm but ripe medium pears (about 11 3/4 ounces; 330g), peeled, cored, and quartered
• •Honey, for brushing (optional)

Method

1. 1.Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350ºF (175ºC). Add almond flour to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and spread into a thin, even layer. Toast in oven, stirring every 3 minutes, until the almond flour is fragrant and light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
2. 2.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on low speed to roughly incorporate. Increase to medium-high speed and beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes, pausing to scrape down bowl and beater with a flexible spatula as needed. Add almond flour, all-purpose flour, egg, brandy (if using), almond extract, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix on medium-high speed until smooth, thick, and creamy, pausing to scrape down bowl and beater halfway through, about 2 minutes. Using a flexible spatula, scrape bowl and beater to ensure that no streaks of unmixed butter remain. (The filling can also be prepared in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer.)
3. 3.Scrape almond filling into blind-baked tart shell and, using an offset spatula, spread it evenly from edge to edge to cover the bottom of the tart. Set aside.
4. 4.Using a sharp knife, slice each pear quarter lengthwise into 1/8-inch thick slices, stopping 1/4 inch before the stem end to keep slices attached. Repeat with remaining pears. Using your hands or an offset spatula, gently lift sliced pears and set them on top of the almond filling, flattening and fanning them out. Repeat with remaining pears.
5. 5.Bake until filling is a light golden brown and just firm to the touch, 40 to 45 minutes. (If the tart shell begins to darken too quickly, tent tart with foil and continue to bake.)
6. 6.Remove from oven and, using a pastry brush, brush sliced pears with honey, if using. Let cool completely in the pan, about 1 hour.