Bourdaloue tart

Discover the history of Bourdaloue tart.

1. Poached pears

   • 1000 gr. filtered water
   • 800 gr. pears (4) Conference / Williams / Bartlett
   • 150 gr. vanilla or white sugar
   • 150 gr. white sugar
   • 5 gr. vanilla

   • Heat the water, sugars and vanilla in a saucepan or pot over low heat until it starts to simmer.
   • Meanwhile, wash and peel the pears.
   • When the water has reached a temperature of about 80º C, put the pears in the syrup and cook at a constant temperature for 30 - 40 minutes, depending on the ripeness of the pears. After cooking, the pears should be soft and easy to pierce with a fork or knife.
   • If the pears are at optimum ripeness, we can skip this step entirely and use them directly in our tart without cooking them.

2. Sable dough

   • 230 gr. all purpose flour
   • 150 gr. butter
   • 90 gr. powdered sugar
   • 50 gr. ground almond
   • 50 gr. egg (1)
   • 2 gr. salt

   • Put the flour, ground almond, salt, icing sugar and the cold butter cut into small cubes in the bowl of a mixer.
   • Mix on medium-low speed just until all the ingredients are integrated and there are no bits of butter left. You should be left with an earthy texture, similar to crushed biscuits.
   • Then, add the egg and mix just until incorporated.
   • Transfer the dough onto a sheet of baking paper and place another sheet on top.
   • Then, with the help of a rolling pin, stretch the dough between the two sheets of paper to a thickness of about 4 mm.
   • Next put the dough in the freezer for about 20 minutes so that it hardens and is easier to work with.
   • Then take the dough out of the freezer, remove the baking paper and cut out a circumference of about 33 cm. Grease a 28 cm diameter baking tin with butter and carefully place the dough inside, adjusting it carefully and trimming off the excess.
   • Finally, place a sheet of baking paper inside the tart and fill it with baking weights (beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc.) to prevent the dough from swelling during baking.
   • Bake for 15 minutes with weight and another 15 minutes without weight at 170º C.

3. Almond cream

   • 120 gr. ground almond
   • 120 gr. butter
   • 100 gr. powdered sugar
   • 50 gr. egg (1)
   • 35 gr. all purpose flour
   • 30 gr. rum

   • In a bowl, mix the sugar and butter at room temperature with a rubber spatula until combined.
   • Then, add the ground almonds and combine them with the previous mixture.
   • Now add the egg together with the rum and stir until just combined.
   • Next, sift in the flour and mix with the rubber spatula.
   • Finally, put the cream into a piping bag with a smooth 2 cm diameter nozzle and set aside at room temperature.

4. Assembly

   • 70 gr. chopped alonds (opcional)
   • 50 gr. sliced almonds
   • Neutral glaze

   • Start by cutting in half from top to bottom and coring three of the four pears you have prepared.
   • Then, remove the ribbing that runs through the pears from top to bottom and cut each of the halves about 3 - 4 mm thick from one side to the other at a 45° angle.
   • Then pour the almond cream over the sable base and smooth with a spatula.
   • Add the chopped almonds on top of the almond cream and press them lightly into the cream.
   • Now arrange the six sliced pear halves around the tart, leaving a hollow in the centre. We can use a knife or a spatula to carry each pear half in one go.
   • Then, cut the other pear we had prepared, discarding the bottom part, and place it in the hollow we had reserved in the centre of the tart.
   • Finally, divide the sliced almonds between the pears and bake in the oven at 160º C for 25 minutes.
   • Leave to cool at room temperature and brush the pears with a little neutral glaze.
   • Store at room temperature if you are going to eat it the same day and if not in the fridge, leaving it for 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.

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