Easy Pear Tart

Easy Pear Tart

I’ve made this Pear Tart for a number of years — It’s both easy (no crust) and versatile (try peach or mango).

It can be prepared/presented two different ways:

I generally (upon removing from the oven) invert the Tart onto a cake platter — Like an upside-down-cake.  Or, the Tart can remain in the baking dish — With an added Cream Topping (which is baked ten minutes longer).

Ingredients/Prep….

1 cup Flour

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 ripe Pears — Cored, peeled

                (D’Anjou or Bosc recommended for baking)

1 or 2 tbsp. Candied Ginger (optional) — Chopped fine

6 tbsp. Butter (3/4 stick)

1 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

3/4 cup Whole Milk

Procedure/Assembly….

Preheat oven – 375.  Lightly butter cake pan (single layer) or baking dish (bottom and sides).  Sift and measure dry ingredients — Set aside.

Slice Pears into thin slices — Arrange in bottom of baking dish.  Sprinkle Candied Ginger evenly over Pears. Set aside.

In separate bowl, beat Butter — Add Sugar; beat till both Butter and Sugar fully mixed.  Add Eggs and Vanilla — Beat well.  Add dry ingredients — Beat till well mixed, but do not over-beat.  Add Milk — Beat till well mixed, but do not over-beat.

Pour batter over Pear slices in cake pan.  Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes.

Note – I bake for 20 minutes at 375, then turn oven down to 325 and bake another 20-25 minutes.

Another Note – I seldom have Whole Milk on hand.  Instead I use 1/2 cup Half & Half and 1/4 cup 2-Percent Milk.

OPTIONS — Either prepare Cream Topping (below) — Pour over Tart and bake further.  Or remove from oven and invert onto platter (like an upside-down-cake).

Cream Topping:

1 cup heavy Cream

1/3 cup Powdered Sugar

In saucepan, bring just to boil — Simmer for a few minutes.

At 30 minutes, remove Tart from oven — Prick all over with fork.  Pour Cream Topping over — Bake another 10 minutes.  Remove from oven (leave in pan) — Sprinkle with Sugar/Cinnamon.