This pear & hazelnut tart features a delicious nut crumble for a deliciously simple way to bring something that not only looks beautiful but tastes incredible to the table.
It’s finally that time of year that pears are in season. At the moment you’ll find me juicing, jamming, and baking.
I’m pear mad! So much so that I am loving the Sunday Farmers Markets where I stock up on my weekly supply of pears.
What You’ll Need
This recipe makes use of basic pantry ingredients like flour and sugar, along with eggs, nuts and fruit.
Vanilla goes hand in hand with pear as it’s just a really simple and beautiful flavour combination.
The nutty notes in this tart alongside the pear and vanilla are a delicious and simple way to bring something that not only looks beautiful but tastes incredible to the table.
How to Make Pear & Hazelnut Tart
For the pastry base
- Add the flour, butter and icing sugar in a food processor and process until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. While the motor is running, add the egg yolks and process until combined.
- On a lightly floured surface turn out mixture and gently bring together to form a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Roll the pastry out between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper to 3mm thick.
- Line a lightly greased loose-bottomed, fluted tart tin with the pastry. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Line the pastry case with non-stick baking paper and fill with baking weights or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the paper and weights (or rice), set aside and allow to slightly cool.
For the Frangipane Filling
- Preheat the oven to 165°C degrees F.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the two eggs, one at a time until fully combined. Add the extra egg yolk and beat until combined. Add the vanilla and hazelnut liquor, beating until combined.
- Fold in the hazelnut meal and salt until combined. Set aside.
- Add the maple syrup to a skillet or small pan and bring to a boil, boil 3-5 minutes or until the maple syrup just starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and add the pear slices to skillet or pour maple syrup into a wide bowl/ tray with pears evenly placed. Let the pears sit in the syrup for a few minutes, but no longer. You don’t want the pear to become too soft to work with.
- Once your crust is chilled, remove from the fridge and spread the filling inside. Layer the pear slices and sliced strawberries over the filling, gently pushing them just slightly into the filling. Drizzle the remaining maple syrup over the top.
- Return the tart back to the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden. Allow the tart to sit 10 minutes, then slice and serve with the crumble.
For the Crumble
- Add the hazelnuts, pistachios, oats, butter, brown sugar, ginger and salt to a skillet or small pan and set over medium heat. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring often until the nuts + oats are toasted and golden.
- Remove from the heat and slide the mixture onto a plate. Allow to cool. Serve with the tart.
Notes
- Please use very ripe pears. You want the juices to be released when cooking.
- Strawberries can be replaced for any other berries, fresh or frozen.
- Pistachio slivers can be swapped for pistachio kernels, roughly chopped.
- The crumble can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container or jar.
- Best enjoyed served with vanilla custard or ice cream!
Optional Variations
- This tart is super flexible in swapping strawberries with any of your favourite berries. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, fresh or frozen.
- The ultimate indulgence is serving with homemade vanilla custard or ice cream.
Pear & Hazelnut Tart with Nut Crumble
This pear & hazelnut tart features a delicious nut crumble for a deliciously simple way to bring something that not only looks beautiful but tastes incredible to the table.
Servings: 8 slices
Cost: $15
Equipment
- Tart tin – ideally fluted, loose-bottomed
Ingredients
For the Pastry Base
- 230 g plain flour
- 130 g chilled unsalted butter chopped
- 85 g icing sugar
- 2 egg yolks
For the Frangipane Filling
- 60 g unsalted butter softened
- 55 g light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk discard the white or save for another use, pop in zip lock back to freeze
- 1 tbsp vanilla paste
- 2 tbsp hazelnut liquor optional
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 155 g hazelnut meal
- 100 ml maple syrup
- 3-4 in pears thinly sliced 1/4 inch slices
- 5-6 strawberries thinly sliced
For the Crumble
- 45 g hazelnuts roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp pistachios slivers
- 25 g old fashioned oats
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 30 g brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
For the Pastry Base
- Add the flour, butter and icing sugar in a food processor and process until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. While the motor is running, add the egg yolks and process until combined.
- On a lightly floured surface turn out mixture and gently bring together to form a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Roll the pastry out between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper to 3mm thick. Line a lightly greased loose-bottomed, fluted tart tin with the pastry. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Line the pastry case with non-stick baking paper and fill with baking weights or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the paper and weights (or rice), set aside and allow to slightly cool.
For the Frangipane Filling
- Preheat the oven to 165°C degrees F.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the two eggs, one at a time until fully combined. Add the extra egg yolk and beat until combined. Add the vanilla and hazelnut liquor, beating until combined.Fold in the hazelnut meal and salt until combined. Set aside.
- Add the maple syrup to a skillet or small pan and bring to a boil, boil 3-5 minutes or until the maple syrup just starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and add the pear slices to skillet or pour maple syrup into a wide bowl/ tray with pears evenly placed. Let the pears sit in the syrup for a few minutes, but no longer. You don’t want the pear to become too soft to work with.
- Once your crust is chilled, remove from the fridge and spread the filling inside. Layer the pear slices and sliced strawberries over the filling, gently pushing them just slightly into the filling. Drizzle the remaining maple syrup over the top.
- Return the tart back to the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden. Allow the tart to sit 10 minutes, then slice and serve with the crumble.
For the Crumble
- Add the hazelnuts, pistachios, oats, butter, brown sugar, ginger and salt to a skillet or small pan and set over medium heat. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring often until the nuts + oats are toasted and golden.
- Remove from the heat and slide the mixture onto a plate. Allow to cool. Serve with the tart.
Notes
- Please use very ripe pears. You want the juices to be released when cooking.
- Strawberries can be replaced for any other berries, fresh or frozen.
- Pistachio slivers can be swapped for pistachio kernels, roughly chopped.
- The crumble can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container or jar.
- Best enjoyed served with vanilla custard or ice cream!