Pear and Walnut Tart
This Pear and Walnut Tart bridges the gap between tradition and innovation when it comes to Thanksgiving desserts. As an American living in Sweden, Thanksgiving holds a special place in my heart. I love sharing the tradition with my Swedish friends, but I also like to keep things interesting for myself.
Embracing Thanksgiving
As a child, Thanksgiving wasn’t my favorite holiday. Being an only child, our dinners were small, and the absence of presents made it less exciting compared to Christmas. However, everything changed once I left home and started exploring the world. Thanksgiving suddenly became immensely important to me, connecting me to my American roots.
My Annual Thanksgiving Party
Each year, I host a Thanksgiving party that serves as a reflection of the past year. The guest list is always a mix of old friends and new faces. Over the years, the party has grown more elaborate and extravagant, with every detail meticulously planned and executed.
Preserving Tradition
Given that many of my Swedish friends are new to Thanksgiving, I strive to provide them with an authentic American experience. Try to make it be very Norman Rockwell. I want them to feel the warmth and nostalgia associated with this beloved holiday.
The Pear and Walnut Tart
This tart combines tradition and innovation (well a little bit). It draws inspiration from two culinary influences. Firstly, Tart Bourdaloue, a classic French pastry consisting of a sweet pastry shell filled with almond cream (frangipane) and topped with poached or sliced pears. Secondly, Swedish mazariner, which shares a similar almond cream base but without the pears. To create my twist, I added walnuts, as I love the pairing of pears and walnuts.
This pear and walnut tart pays homage to tradition while offering a surprise for those experienced with the holiday. Whether you’re a seasoned Thanksgiving enthusiast or a new to the party, this tart is sure to please and evoke a sense of gratitude.
Pear and Walnut Tart
Ingredients
- 2-3 Pears depending on size
Tart Dough
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 125 g room temperature butter
- ½ vanilla bean pod or 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar
- 90 g powdered sugar
- 250 g all-purpose flour
Walnut Filling
- 90 g sugar
- 110 g almond flour
- 100 g room temperature butter
- 120 g eggs
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 75 g toasted and chopped walnuts
- 12-15 toasted walnuts for topping
Instructions
Tart Dough
- In a mixing bowl, cream together 125g of butter, 90g of powdered sugar, and the seeds scraped from ½ vanilla bean pod (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar).
- Add 1 egg and 1 egg yolk to the mixture and whisk together.
- Gradually add 250g of all-purpose flour, mixing until the dough comes together.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Roll out the dough and line a tart shell with it. Place the lined shell in the freezer.
Filling and Baking
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a mixing bowl, combine 90g sugar, 110g almond flour, and 100g room temperature butter for the walnut filling.
- Add the eggs one at a time and stir well after each addition.
- Mix in the vanilla extract, salt, and 75g chopped walnuts. Set the mixture aside.
- Peel the pears and cut them into quarters. Place them in acidulated water so they don’t brown.
- Take the tart shell out of the freezer and spread the walnut filling evenly inside.
- Slice the quarter pears into thick slices.
- Arrange the sliced pears and whole walnuts on top of the filling.
- Bake the tart in the preheated oven until it turns golden brown, usually about 20 minutes.
- Once the tart is cooled, glaze the pears with maple syrup and lightly dust the entire tart with powdered sugar.
- Serve and enjoy!