Before it gets too late and we witness a ground covered with inches of snow — if it actually really happens this year in view of the thermometer’s whims — this time in the season is simply perfect for walks taken outside to play with fallen leaves tossed around by the wind or walkers’ footsteps. My footsteps or yours! Nature is getting ready for the next season, I can tell. The colors have already changed. I enjoy walking a lot. Not so much city walks but walks in the fields, forests, mountains or parks. But pas folle ! (Not crazy) Whenever I go walking, I like to think about the comfort that follows my time spent outside. If my body gets cold, my head spins with ideas as to how to bring some comfort and it is usually pretty simple. A nice cup of warm tea, sometimes a hot chocolate when it is really cold, and with it, no beating around the bush, I like to have a little nibble such as un morceau de gâteau ( a slice of cake) or un bon bout de tarte (a good slice of tart).
The beauty of making tarts en tout genre is that there is never a lack of inspiration as to how to make them new and different from the last ones. It took me quite a long time to learn to appreciate pears as a fruit, many years as a matter of fact, but it seems that this year I am finally reconciled with them. Not even only on rare occasions, but for real as I am not only buying them, but I am also cooking them a lot. Even P. noticed as he told me: “Eh ben dis-donc, t’es tombée amoureuse des poires ou quoi ?” (Well, did you fall in love with pears or what?) I just wanted to change and try. Or maybe no longer hear him gently complain that I never do anything with pears. He was right. Pears are a pretty good fruit! Last Sunday, I wanted to use a batch of pâte (crust) made the day before — it turned out that it was pâte brisée, unsweetened. I thought of making Pear Tartlets.
The idea for these tartlets is not new. While the pears are cooked in a light almond batter, the difference lies in the flavors added. Feeling somewhat playful — or was it because we were about to visit our friend L.’s art exhibit later that afternoon — I added a touch of color: Green for Matcha tea, and Brown for Cocoa. I chose sweet ripe pears — I cannot even remember the variety I am afraid beside knowing they were just perfectly ripe — and I am glad I did. They literally melted in my mouth. Rustic by far, ces tartelettes were a pretty comfortable way to end Sunday which had been a grey rainy day. A new twist on a classic tarte aux poires. To keep in mind when I need to utilize a dough leftover. I have always liked brown and green together anyway!
You need:
For the crust
- 7 oz all-purpose or pastry flour
- 3.5 oz butter, soft
- 1 pinch of salt
- Water (between 4 to 6 Tbsp)
Note: the quantities here are for more than 4 tartlets. I you prefer a sweet crust, use 6 oz flour with 4 oz soft butter, 2 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar, 1 egg, a pinch of salt and no water.
Steps:
- In the bowl of a mixer, place the butter with the flour and salt. Mix and progressively add the water until the dough detaches from the bowl. Wrap it in plastic and place it in the fridge for 1 hour minimum before using.
For the Topping
(For 4 tartlets)
- Pears (sweet)
- 1 egg
- 1.5 oz almond flour
- 2 Tbsp fine sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp crème fraîche or heavy cream
- Matcha tea (1/2 tsp)
- Cocoa powder unsweetened (1/2 tsp)
Steps:
- In a bowl, beat the egg with a fork. Add the sugar, almond flour and cream. Mix well.
- Divide the preparation in two halves.
- Add 1/2 tsp Matcha tea in the first half, 1/2 tsp cocoa in the second one.
- Roll your dough and garnish small molds. Make holes with a fork at the bottom and place in the fridge for 30 mns.
- Peel the pears and slice them thinly.
- Preheat your oven at 350 F.
- Take the molds out of the fridge and arrange the fruit on top.
- Add the almond cream on top, some with Matcha tea, some with cocoa.
- Place your molds on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 30 mns. Take out and unmold on a cooling rack. Enjoy with a nice cup of warm tea.
Ingrédients :
Pour la pâte brisée
- 200 g de farine
- 100 g de beurre mou
- 1 pincée de sel
- Eau (entre 75 et 100 ml)
Remarque : les quantités ici sont pour plus de 4 tartelettes. Si vous préférez une pâte sablée, utilisez 180 g de farine, 120 g de beurre ramolli, un oeuf, 1 pincée de sel, 2 càs bombée de sucre glace, et pas d’eau.
Étapes :
- Dans le bol d’un robot, mélangez le beurre avec la farine et le sel. Ajoutez progressivement l’eau, jusqu’à ce que la pâte se détache et forme une boule. Enveloppez-la dans du film alimentaire et mettez-la au frigo pendant 1 heure minimum avant de vous en servir.
Pour la garniture
(Pour 4 petites tartelettes)
- Poires (bien sucrées)
- 1 oeuf
- 40 g de poudre d’amandes
- 2 càs bombées de sucre fin
- 1,5 càs de crème fraîche
- Thé matcha (1/2 càc)
- Cacao en poudre, non sucré (1/2 càc)
Étapes :
- Dans un bol, fouettez l’oeuf. Ajoutez le sucre, la poudre d’amandes et la crème. Mélangez bien à la fourchette.
- Divisez en deux.
- Ajoutez 1/2 càc de thé matcha dans la première préparation, 1/2 càc de cacao en poudre dans la deuxième
- Étalez la pâte dans des petits moules, piquez-la avec une fourchette et mettez au frigo pendant 30 mns.
- Pelez vos fruits et coupez-les en tranches fines.
- Préchauffez le four à 180 C.
- Sortez les moules du frigo et disposez les fruits sur les tartelettes.
- Ajoutez la crème aux amandes au thé sur certaines, au chocolat sur d’autres.
- Mettez vos moules sur une plaque de cuisson et enfournez au four pendant 30 mns. Sortez et démoulez sur une grille pour laisser refroidir. A déguster sans modération avec un bon thé.
beautiful!
Looks like you’ve got a tea tapas dealio going on there!
Unbelievable. Wish I had one with my tea now. Either one would be lovely.
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j’aime l’idée de boire une tasse de thé en dégustant une de tes tartelettes aux poires et thé matcha… j’aime!
C’est trop joli!
Coucou Béa ! Je ne poste pas souvent de commentaires ici et pourtant je suis toujours baba devant tes idées et la qualité de tes photos ! Je te félicite !
superbes tes tartelettes j’adore leur forme rectangulaire et puis les photos toujours et encore
Elles ont l’air delicieuses. J’admire la luminosite de tes photos, en ce moment j’ai un mal de chien a photographier quoique ce soit. Je n’ai pas le meme talent que toi c’est sur mais c’est le manque de lumiere naturelle qui me pose probleme.
C’est marrant, j’ai justement fais une tarte poire amande hier!
Elles sont vraiment pas mal…
C’est toujours un plaisir de venir faire un tour chez toi. Recettes et photos superbes, comme d’hab !
(PS : toutes mes condoléances pour ton pc portable)
Bea, how wonderful.and inspiring. Delicieuses!!
elles ont l’air absolutely fabulous ces petites tartes ! et merci pour la version française !
Irresistable! I love almond cream especially with vanilla. Justin Quek has a recipe which i did for my dinner party last, for apple tart which was baked in filo and almond cream. You’ve just got me dreaming for it now. I better get me some filo!
je n’aime pas les poires … et pourtant je ne résiste pas aux mélanges “poires-amandes” ou “poires-chocolat” … va comprendre … d’ailleurs as-tu essayé la confiture de poires au chocolat ? Il y a des recettes sur Internet … à tomber !
Elles sont toutes jolies, la forme est tres sympa. Un the, j’ai envie d’un the, dans une theiere en argent, avec des petites tartelettes toutes pareilles.
Ah, les tartelettes : mes premières pâtisseries du mercredi après-midi. Je garde précieusement tous mes petits moules de l’époque… un peu cabossés et un peu rouillés.
Les tiennes me rappellent tout ça 😉
Et tes photos, je n’ose même plus te dire à quel point elles sont belles !
C’est sûr, je ne vais pas te contredire sur la tarte au chocolat!
your tarts look very pretty and tantalizing! i love your blog & the food pictures you took, i’m definitely going to be your fan 😉
your tarts look delicious bea! i’ve never thought of combining tea and pears together. will have to try this one day. 🙂
Gosh, I kept trying to pluck that last tartlet off my monitor and eat it! Darn! They’re so adorable.
What beautiful pictures and the tarts look smashingly delicious! Happy Cooking!
everywhere I come pears are popping up lately – well, no complaining here!!
I love pears and I love your creation with them!
these tarts look amazing; delicious with that sugar on top…=)
Thanks everyone for your super nice comments. I will respond longer when I return from the trip I am taking at the moment. Hope everyone is well.
Merci a tous pour vos supers sympathiques commentaires. J’y repondrai plus en details a mon retour de voyage. J’espere que vous allez tous bien.
This was wonderful, really enjoyed making this