This Pear Tart Is the Prettiest, Flakiest, Easiest Thanksgiving Dessert
To me, Thanksgiving is all about the dessert. I’m not in it for the turkey (it’s just not my thing). And though I love the mashed potatoes and mac and cheese, I don’t wait for Thanksgiving to eat those foods; I gladly make them year-round.
The pie? That’s another story. While I’d love to eat pie all the time, I only make it once a year. Dealing with pies (and their finicky crusts) can be a hassle, so it’s a task I reserve solely for Thanksgiving. Every November as I plan the big feast, I ask myself, “Which pie deserves a spot on the menu this year?”
In 2020 my Thanksgiving pie must meet a set of important criteria: It must be stunning, delicious, and have a zero percent chance of contributing to my stress levels. That’s why I’m not exactly making a pie this year—I’m making Epi contributor Judy Kim’s beautiful new pear tart with dulce de leche.
Judy Kim Pear Tart Slices - INSET
This impressive-but-easy tart is decked out in full Thanksgiving attire, showcasing the dark red hue of Starkrimson pears set in a saucy mixture of butter, cinnamon, and sugar—all encased in a crisp, amazingly flaky crust. Each slice gets a drizzle of dulce de leche right before serving. You could skip that part. But I recommend that you don’t.
“The tart itself isn’t super sweet,” Kim says. “It’s very fruit-forward; the flavor is mostly about the pears. So everyone can control their own level of sweetness with the dulce de leche drizzle.”
This pear tart has all of the glamour that I want in a Thanksgiving pie, without the fuss that’s usually required. No worrying about a custard cracking or a soggy bottom crust—even though there’s no blind baking involved. According to Kim, simply using a tart pan helps to alleviate some of those concerns.
“I think tarts are less intimidating than pies, because they aren’t as deep; it’s a thin layer of filling and everything cooks more evenly.” she says. “You don’t have to guess if it’s cooked through.”
Fox Run Non-Stick 9-Inch Tart Pan
$16.00, Amazon
To make things even easier, you can spread the steps over the course of a few days. Start with the (entirely hands-off!) dulce de leche. Just remove the label from a can of sweetened condensed milk and place it in a large pot of water from the tap. (It should be covered by at least a few inches.) Bring the pot to a simmer, lower the heat, and let a few hours pass, topping off the water if needed to keep the can safely submerged Like magic, the milk will caramelize, intensifying its flavor. (Go ahead and make the dulce de leche now: You can store the unopened can in the fridge for several months; once opened it’ll keep for three weeks in an airtight container in your fridge.)
Kim’s foolproof, extra-flaky crust can also be made ahead to cut down on last-minute Thanksgiving prep. The secret to tender, flaky dough, Kim explains, is to add a bit of apple cider vinegar to the flour mixture before adding in any water. Then you’ll add the water, just a tablespoon at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon. Once you’ve added four tablespoons of water to the dough, you can start mixing with your hands, adding a couple more tablespoons as needed until the dough sticks together when you squeeze it. Going slow means you won’t risk adding too much water, which can overdevelop the gluten and toughen the crust.
On the day you’re ready to bake, roll out your dough and transfer it to a parchment-lined tart pan—either a 9” or 10” one will work here. The best part about this crust is its superlative flaky texture. But the other best part is that you don’t have to crimp the edges or make sure the ends look perfect. You’ll just fold the overhang back into the pan.
Judy Kim Pear Tart - PROCESS V2
The flavor of the tart isn’t the only thing that’s fruit-forward. So is its impressive design, which is also all about the pretty pears. Getting this photo-friendly look is truly as easy as making a fruit salad: Core the pears and cut them into thin slices, keeping the slices in groups of eight to ten. Place them in lemon juice as you go to give them a light citrus flavor (and to prevent browning).
To assemble the tart, spread a mix of cinnamon, sugar, lemon zest, and cold cubes of butter onto the chilled crust. Layer on the groups of pears, fanning them in different directions on top of the crust. In the oven, the tart will turn golden brown, and the filling will begin to bubble—Let it cool before cutting out a slice, grabbing the can of dulce de leche, and drizzling it on top to your heart’s content.
Pear Tart With Dulce de Leche Drizzle
Like Thanksgiving itself this year, this tart can be as simple or as fancy as you need it to be. Don’t have a tart pan? Turn it into a galette. Just place the rolled-out dough on a rimmed baking sheet, top it with the filling, and fold the edges of the crust over. Want to pull out all the stops? Cut the crust trimmings into leaves using a pie cutter, then arrange the leaves along the tart crust for extra autumnal flair.
Need a little more good news? This recipe makes enough for two crusts. So this just might be the first time that I make more than one fancy—but easy—tart in a single year.
Fall Pie Punches
$20.00, Williams Sonoma
Leaf and Acorn Pastry Stampers
$15.00, Amazon
Originally Appeared on Epicurious
