PEAR TARTE TATIN

PEAR TARTE TATIN

• 2 lbs firm pears about a dozen
• 1 tbsp lemon juice fresh
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar divided use
• 3 oz unsalted butter cubed and at room temperature
• 1 8 1/2- oz sheet puff pastry dough half of a standard 17-oz pack, thawed

INSTRUCTIONS

• Peel the pears, cut them in quarters, and core them. In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat, combine the lemon juice, water, and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Stir them together until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and let the mixture come to a boil. Continue to boil the sugar syrup. Swirl the pan occasionally so that the sugar doesn’t scorch. Cook the sugar until it is a lovely golden brown color and smells caramelized.
• Add the butter cubes and stir it in. The mixture might look separated at first, but continue to cook it, stirring occasionally, until it comes back to a boil and bubbles slowly like thick caramel. Arrange the pear slices on their sides in a concentric ring around the outer edge of the pan, with the wide bottom at the edge and the tapering top pointing to the center. Try to pack them in as closely as possible. Add a second ring in the center going the other way. Depending on the size of your pears, you may need to trim the slices in the center so that they fit. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect, as the pears cook they will shrink a bit so you can always do touch-ups later.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar on top of the pears, and cover the skillet with a lid or a tight layer of foil. Reduce the heat to a little under medium and cook the pears, covered, for 45 minutes. Check them once or twice and if they seem to be in danger of burning, reduce the heat a bit more. As they shrink try and add another sliced pear or two, so that they’re packed tightly. After 45 minutes, remove the cover and cook for an additional 15-25 minutes. The pears should look golden brown along the edges, somewhat translucent, and should be tender and easy to slice through.
• While you’re waiting for the pears to cook, prepare the pastry. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Sprinkle a work surface lightly with flour, and roll out the thawed but cool puff pastry dough into a 12-inch circle. It should be large enough to cover the skillet, with about a inch extra on all sides. Once rolled out, cover the pastry and cutting board with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it until you’re ready to use it.
• When the pears are ready, remove the skillet from the heat. Carefully drape the pastry over the top of the skillet, and tuck the excess dough down along the inside of the skillet between the pears and the pan’s side. (I like to use a rubber spatula for this step to preserve my fingers!) Don’t worry if it wrinkles or bunches up a bit—it’s not meant to be perfect. Cover the top of the pastry with a loose layer of aluminum foil, and bake it for 15 minutes.
• Remove the foil and bake the pastry for an additional 15 minutes, until it’s golden brown and puffed all around. Take it from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Press a plate to the top of the skillet and gently, gently tilt it to the side so that the juices run out of the pan and into a bowl. (This step is easiest if you have a helper to help wrangle the plate.) Try to get as much juice out as possible, but be careful to not mangle the tart. Once the juice is removed, press a large plate to the top of skillet. In one firm motion, flip it upside down so that the tart drops from the skillet onto the plate, crust side down.
• While the tart cools a bit, transfer the caramel-pear juice to a small skillet. Boil it for several minutes, until it thickens (it will continue to thicken as it stands). Serve slices of tart with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel-pear sauce.