This is a tart I’ve been making since the early 2000’s; it was a recipe made at a coffeehouse I worked at in south Minneapolis, and brought along with me to another coffeehouse I baked for. The original recipe was based on a streusel tart from the Joy of Cooking, particularly the book All About Pies & Tarts. It’s a great little cookbook, and I recommend picking up a copy if you see one.
I’ve tinkered with it over the last two decades, and made a few changes. I use my pat-in-the-pan crust for ease, added some lemon juice, vanilla, and nutmeg to the filling, and topped things off with my pecan streusel. It is a great dessert for Autumn, but also is delicious served at Thanksgiving or throughout the holiday season.
My recipe testing notes:
*I use Bartlett Pears here, and think they work best in this recipe. Other pears don’t always get as juicy.
*This pat-in-the-pan crust is very forgiving, so if it tears a little bit you can patch it up and not worry about.
*Blind baking is a must for this tart, or the crust will shrink and not be crisp enough. I love these silicon baking beans from Erin McDowell. They work so well, are reusable, and can be washed in the dishwasher. Win, win, win.
*The tart may take longer, depending on how ripe your pears are. Make sure it is bubbling before pulling it from the oven.
Pecan Streusel Pear Tart
Ingredients
Pat-in-the-Pan Crust
- 1 cup [142 g] all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup [50 g] granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup [30 g] almond or pecan flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 6 tablespoons [84 g] unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
Pear Filling
- 3 cups [475 g] Barlett pears, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch [6 mm] thick
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup [65 g] granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- Pinch fine salt
Pecan Streusel
- 1 1/2 cups [210 g] toasted pecans
- 1 1/3 cups [189 g] all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup [130 g] granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup [130 g] brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 10 tablespoons [140 g] unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
For the crust
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F [180C].
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, pulse together the all-purpose flour, sugar, almond flour, and salt until combined. Add the butter and creme friache and pulse until the dough comes together. (This dough is very forgiving, and you don't have to worry quite as much about overworking it as you do a normal pie dough.)
- To bake, press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 10 in [xx cm] tart pan with removable bottom, see notes.
- Line the tart shell with parchment paper, going up the sides and covering the edges to prevent burning. Fill the center with pie weights and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and no longer wet to the touch. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.
For the streusel
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, pulse together the pecans, flour, granulated and brown sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the melted butter over the top and pulse again until combined. Store the streusel in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month.
For the pears
- Place the peeled and sliced pears in a large bowl. Toss the pears with the lemon juice and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, and salt. Sprinkle the mixture over the pears, then use a spatula or your hands to gently coat the pears with the flour mixture.
To Assemble and Bake
- Evenly place the coated pears in the cooled tart shell. Cover the pears with 3 cups [495 g] of the streusel, more or less to your liking.
- Bake the tart until the streusel is golden, the pears are fork tender and their juices bubbling, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- When cool, remove the tart from the pan shell, slice and serve. Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream is a great accompaniment.
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