I confess, I much prefer a pear tart over any form of a pear pie. The thinly baked slices of honey like pear, often layered atop a thing layer of the seasonal jam of choice, the mid autumn, well into winter, it’s Marmalade. I quite like Quince marmalade, particularly when it’s homemade, and even better when with homegrown quinces at that. I can say that the one, and very rare years, that we were lucky enough to have a bounty of fresh Quinces at the markets, I made my Avó Bela’s marmelada recipe. And it was soo yummy! Not as tasty and rich in quince flavor as back on our farm in Portugal, but a close second when you’re so far away….
When you come from a family of farmers, and agriculture, the things you most get excited about throughout the year, are often food related. Whether it’s the season for planting a certain vegetable, like couves or the beloved potatoes, or it’s pruning season for the vines and grapes, and then harvesting season for everything that was planted and thrived, like summer tomatoes and then the potatoes, green beans, pumpkins and everything in between.
There are foods that have a spectacular seasons of celebration like the obvious, and very important grapes for our beloved wines, then for a select few of us it’s when cherished figs are back, or the height of summer when berries grow wildly around. One fruit who’s harvest is well known, is for a certain pear, the Pear Rocha.
And then mid to late summer rolls around, and for those particularly amongst the woods of the Serra da Estrela, comes the Pear de Agua, translated literally into Water Pear and most commonly known as a smaller d’Anjou pear. When I was in Portugal this summer, these delicious tiny pears seems to make my grandparents and family happy for sure! We had soo many that we ended up prepping up to 6 large wooden bread baking trays with the pears in order to dehydrate and dry during the winter months, to then enjoy yummy sweet dried pears for the beginning of Spring!!
That’s the beauty of providing to Mother Nature, caring for it, and in sense your bit of work is able to provide for yourself, loved ones and then back to the earth. These principles where we must provide for ourselves with the only thing we know the earth we live on, that love of mother nature, of that farming mindset – that’s generations and generations deep into my roots.
Have you noticed this belief and love for nature’s purity is the reason why I love fruit pies and tarts the best?! Because I can allow the season’s freshness shine on their own, delighting our tastebuds in the only way they know how Nothing extra, no topping of heavy cream or baked custard, perhaps a crinkly crust of turbinado sugar or caramelized fruit juice bubbles – however it bakes into the oven, is exactly how I plan to serve it. Simply as it was meant to taste 😉
I’m slowly getting back into my groove again, riding a burst of calming and creative motivating go-getter vibes, something I haven’t felt in quite a bit of time. With that comes getting back into the swing of blogging. I’ve had so many articles and ideas to share with you, but hadn’t had quite the time to put the words and get it out to you.
Amongst the chaos that Autumn, then winter brings, my goal for this season was the ride the waves as they came by to fully preparing for all the different projects that await, while also allowing myself the proper free time, whether during the week or on the weekend, to fully enjoy it doing the things that both bring me joy, whether its completely something I’ve been working on, or giving the bedroom and fresh air of cleanliness, or pursue an new/old hobby.
In an effort to get you all to ride my creativity burst/preplanning train for the season, I’m sharing all my Autumn ideas with you now, like this tasty a’Anjou Pear Tart, so that you can also plan now, way ahead of what’s to come in the next few weeks.
The goal; to have plenty of time to actually enjoy the season!! Then once all the “autumn” things have been shared and enjoyed with you, come all my lovely travels, because that’s exactly what we’ll want to do once the sun retreats earlier, cuddled wanderlusting of travels and adventures…..
Happy Autumn baking!!
d'Anjou Pear + Marmalade Tart
2019-10-19 15:12:29
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 pounds {depending on size of pears + tart pan using} - d'Anjou Pears, cored + thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup - Organic Cane Sugar
- 1 tablespoon - Ground Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons - Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 tablespoons - Honey
- Pinch of Salt
- Pie Dough, Single Crust {use your favorite Recipe}
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup - Marmalade, or jam flavor of choice
- 1 - Egg
- Turbinado Sugar, for sprinkling
- Dried Cranberries or Crushed Nuts, optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375*F and prep tart pan by buttering sides.
- In a large bowl, toss together the sliced Pears with the ground cinnamon, honey, vanilla extract and salt. Mix to incorporate ingredients, set aside.
- Roll out pie dough to 1/4" thickness, fit in tart pan, making sure to press into side edges well. Trim off excess dough. With a fork prick the bottom of the pie shell, then sprinkle a bit of flour creating a light even layer.
- In a small bowl, mix the marmalade a bit to soften, then spread an even layer onto the bottom of the pie dough. Starting from the outside edge of the tart pan, begin arranging the pear slices, with the colored skin side facing Upward, and each new pear slice going atop each previous slice, slightly towards the center.
- Continuing layering your pear slices, until you reach the center. With smaller, thinner pear slices create a flower or design to complete your swirl...no need for perfection.
- Make a egg wash, by beating the egg with a bit of water. Then lightly brush on the pie crust and pear slices. Sprinkle a few dried cranberries or crushed nuts, if using. Finish with a sprinkling of turbinado sugar.
- Bake under crust is golden brown and fruit juices are bubbling, about 45 minutes.
Notes
- *If the crust begins to get too much color too soon while baking. Place a ring of aluminum foil, until done baking.
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