Chef/Co-owners Provence Restaurants Vancouver, Jean-Francis and Alessandra Quaglia
A quintessential summer dessert, we’ve adapted this dish from the traditional French Pear and Almond Tarte with an Okanagan twist, local pears and cherries (when in season). French women keep it simple when they bake at home, and they are not hesitant to use ingredients purchased elsewhere such as a tarte dough, and voillà an easy and sweet finish to a warm weather meal. We like to serve this with an Inniskillin Pinot Noir. The elegant dark cherry fruit and spicy aromas of the wine is a lovely pairing with the cherries and carmelized fruit of this classic tarte.
Ingredients:
½ cup shaved/sliced almonds
1 sheet puff pastry
4 Bartlett or Bosc Pears (peeled, cored and quartered)
2 lbs fresh cherries (pitted and halved)
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 tbsp sugar
Method:
Preheat oven at 375F degrees. On a baking sheet with parchment paper, place sheet of puff pastry. Poke holes in puff pastry with a fork. Spread the carmelized pears evenly over the puff pastry in rows. Place cherries around and in between carmelized pears. Dot fruit with butter and sprinkle sugar over top. Sprinkle almonds over top and bake for 15-20 min. until golden brown.
For the caramelized Pears
4 Bartlett or Bosc Pears
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water
2 tbsp butter
In a thick-bottomed frying pan on medium heat, melt sugar and water, but do not stir. Allow mixture to come to a boil and gently tilt the pan to distribute evenly (this way caramelization will occur quickly). When sugar turns a rich cognac colour, add pears and butter. The sugar will continue to caramelize but the addition of pears and butter will slow down this process. Turn pears with tongs or a fork every 3-5 min. so they are well coated. Once pears become transparent, transfer them to a plate and allow to cool.
*Puff pastry is sold frozen in sheets and is available in most grocery stores. After thawing to use, keep it covered with a moist towel to prevent it from drying.
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