BRIOCHE CRUST: Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Blend flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, blend until butter is reduced to pea-size pieces. Add eggs and milk. Using on/off turns, blend until sticky dough forms. Using buttered fingertips, press dough onto bottom of prepared springform pan. Cover with plastic. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until light and puffy (dough will not double in volume), about 2 hours.
FILLING AND SAUCE: Meanwhile, stir wine and ¾ cup sugar in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Add pears. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until pears are tender, about 8 minutes. Cool mixture 30 minutes.
Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to plate. Boil wine syrup in pan until reduced to 1 cup, about 4 minutes. Mix cornstarch and 1 teaspoon water in small bowl; stir into wine syrup. Cook until syrup thickens and boils, whisking occasionally, about 1 minute longer. Set sauce aside.
Position rack in top third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Starting at edge and leaving ½-inch plain border, arrange pear slices close together in concentric circles atop dough. Sprinkle pears and dough edge with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
Bake tart until edge is brown, pears are tender, and crust is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack; remove pan sides. Cool at least 15 minutes. Cut tart into wedges; place on plates. Drizzle with sauce. Spoon dollops of crème fraîche alongside and serve.
This is a French patisserie-style tart with pâte sucrée (“sweet pastry”), vanilla pastry cream, and a glazed fruit topping. Instead of kiwi, you can use any combination of stone fruit (think sliced peaches, plums, and apricots) and berries. For a casual look, simply toss the fruit in a bowl with the glaze, mound atop the pastry cream, and serve. 8 servings
CrustNonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 large egg yolks, chilled
Filling
1 cup whole milk
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
¼ cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
1½ tablespoons cornstarch
Topping
1½ 6-ounce containers raspberries
2 kiwis, peeled, thinly sliced
⅓ cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons water
CRUST: Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray bottom of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick spray. Combine flour, sugar, lemon peel, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolks; using on/off turns, process until moist clumps form. Press dough evenly over bottom and up sides of prepared tart pan. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Bake crust until golden, about 18 minutes. Cool crust completely.
FILLING: Bring milk and vanilla bean just to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, beat sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and whisk over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils gently, about 1 minute. Transfer to small bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream and chill completely.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Remove vanilla bean from filling; rewhisk until smooth. Spread filling into crust.
TOPPING: Arrange raspberries and kiwi decoratively over filling. Simmer apricot preserves and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan over medium-high heat until mixture boils thickly, about 1 minute. Strain into small bowl. Brush apricot glaze generously over fruit. Chill tart to set, at least 30 minutes.
The crust of this pretty tart resembles shortbread; make the tart in spring, when strawberries are at their peak. Slicing off the stem ends of the strawberries will give them a flat base to stand on in the rich lemon curd. 10 servings
Curd
2 large eggs
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1½ teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
Crust
1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) chilled heavy whipping cream
1 large egg yolk
Topping
1½ quarts strawberries, stem ends cut flat
½ cup strawberry jam
CURD: Whisk eggs, sugar, and lemon juice in heavy small saucepan to blend. Add butter and lemon peel. Stir over medium heat until butter melts and curd thickens to pudding consistency, about 8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd and chill at least 2 hours.
CRUST: Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons cream and egg yolk. Blend until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap and chill 1 hour.
DO AHEAD: Curd and dough can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of pan. Trim dough overhang to ½ inch; fold in and press firmly, forming double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork; refrigerate 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake crust until golden, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 20 minutes. Cool crust completely on rack.
TOPPING: Spread curd in crust. Stand berries in curd, cut side down. Stir jam in small saucepan over medium heat until melted; strain into small bowl. Brush jam over berries. Chill tart until glaze sets, at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.
Remove pan sides from tart. Transfer to plate and serve.
A splash of wine and the addition of cream mellow the tartness of the fresh lemons. Be sure that the lemon, egg yolk, and sugar mixture just boils when initially preparing the filling. Serve the tart with Raspberry-Apricot Compote with Champagne and Lemon Verbena (page 437). 8 servings
Crust
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 large egg yolks
Filling
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks