Cook’s Fresh Market Pear Hazelnut Tart
(Serves 8)

½ cup dry white wine
2 cinnamon stick
1 clove
Juice of 1 orange
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
6 firm ripe small bosc or anjou pears
1 cup dried cranberries (5oz)
10 oz. hazelnuts, toasted and skins rubbed off, cooled and pulverized in processor
9 oz. sugar
9 oz. butter
2 eggs
4 T. flour
1 tsp. vanilla paste
½ tsp. almond extract
1 10” tart shell, prebaked
½ cup apricot preserves, pureed

Directions

Combine white wine, cinnamon, clove, OJ, water, sugar and vanilla bean in a medium size sauce pan. Bring to a simmer to dissolve sugar. Peel the pears, cut in half lengthwise and cook over low heat in the white wine spice simple syrup until tender, approximately 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove core with sharp knife and place the eight best halves back in the syrup. Dice the remaining pears and reserve for filling.

Pour 1 cup poaching syrup over the dried cranberries to soften.

Put the finely pulverized hazelnuts with the butter and sugar in a bowl of a mixer. Beat light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add one egg, scrape bowl, add the other egg, scrape and beat 3 more minutes. Add diced pears and soaked cranberries, both drained very well. Add flour and just incorporate.

Spread pre-baked shell with apricot jam and then add hazelnut filling. Slice into ¼ inch slices and arrange over hazelnut mixture pressing down slightly. Bake at 350 degrees until pears are golden and filling is puffed and golden, approximately 40 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature