Pear Tart with Cinnamon and Cream

There has been a trend among my recipes lately....

...they are full of apples, pears, butter, and sugar. (like my Dutch Baby with Apples or my Pear Butter...)

Whoops.

Well, 'tis the season.  And sometimes it just ain't worth fighting - so here's another delicious goodie to add to your "I MUST MAKE THIS ASAP" list.  Don't you have one of those?

I have made this delicious tart for dessert, brunch, breakfast, and everything in between.  It's versatile and down right sinfully delicious.  Although I tried to resist the temptation of making yet another dessert, when I saw a few sad looking pears hanging out in the orchard, I just had to pick them up and help them fulfill their culinary destiny.  It wouldn't have been right of me to just leave them there to rot, after all...

Also - stay tuned for Monday's post on putting the gardens to bed for winter, planting garlic, shallots, and bunching onions!  I promise, I won't post another dessert recipe between now and then.

I'm so weak.

Pear Tart with Cinnamon & Cream
You will need:
 - 1 1/2 cups finely ground nuts (I used brazil nuts, though almonds, walnuts, or pecans would be delicious!)
 - 5 tablespoons butter
 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
 - 2 tablespoons rapadura

 - 5-6 medium pears, peeled and sliced thin (find 'em straight from a nearby orchardist!)
 - 1 teaspoon cinnamon
 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
 - 1/4 cup rapadura or natural sweetener of choice (honey would be delicious!)
 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

 - 1 cup organic cream (not ultra-pasteurized!)
 - 1 high-quality egg

Step One: Combine the ground nuts, salt, and rapadura.  Then, gently work in the butter until nice and crumbly.

Step Two:  Using your fingers, smoosh the nut mixture into a round pie pan.

Step Two:  Lay your sliced pears on top of the crust.  You may do this in a meticulous, fancy pattern - or, as I have done, which is more of the "pile and smoosh" method.  To each his own.  After you have finished with the pears, sprinkle the top of them with rapadura (or honey), cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Step Three:  In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and the egg until combined.  Pour this mixture over the pears, trying to do it as evenly as possible.  You may need to move the pears around a bit to ensure all the holes get filled with the cream.

Step Four:  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until the top of the tart is brown, the cream mixture has set, and it smells so good you want to inhale it all.  Approximately 30 minutes or so.

And that's it.  

A fairly simple dessert that is truly decadent.  Fit for a king, I'd say!  And honestly, I have to say, this is probably one of my top five favorite desserts of all time.  And a dessert you can eat for breakfast?  Well, yes please.

Mmm.  Mmm.  Mmm.

Note: I ate far too much of this tart.
Note #2: I lack self control.
Note #3:  It's been far too long since you've seen a picture of my beautiful baby.  So here you go:

Babies & cream in the same post?!

It's gunna be a good day, Tater.

For other great meal ideas, no matter what your dietary restrictions, check out the meal planning service I use: Real Plans.

Pear Tart with Cinnamon and Cream

• 1 1/2 cups finely ground nuts (I used brazil nuts, though almonds, walnuts, or pecans would be delicious!)
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons rapadura
• 5-6 medium pears (peeled and sliced thin (find ’em straight from a nearby orchardist!))
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 cup rapadura or natural sweetener of choice (honey would be delicious!)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 cup organic cream (not ultra-pasteurized!)
• 1 high-quality egg

1. Combine the ground nuts, salt, and rapadura. Then, gently work in the butter until nice and crumbly.
2. Using your fingers, smoosh the nut mixture into a round pie pan.
3. Lay your sliced pears on top of the crust. You may do this in a meticulous, fancy pattern – or, as I have done, which is more of the “pile and smoosh” method. To each his own. After you have finished with the pears, sprinkle the top of them with rapadura (or honey), cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and the egg until combined. Pour this mixture over the pears, trying to do it as evenly as possible. You may need to move the pears around a bit to ensure all the holes get filled with the cream.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until the top of the tart is brown, the cream mixture has set, and it smells so good you want to inhale it all. Approximately 30 minutes or so.