Pear Tart

From Shirley Evans
Makes one 10-inch tart

3 ripe pears
3 large eggs
1 c. sugar
5 Tbsp. AP flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract
12 Tbsp. butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel the pears, halve and core the fruit, then cut each half crosswise into thin slices, keeping the slices together.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar, then whisk in the flour and the vanilla until smooth.

In a medium saucepan over high heat, melt the butter and cook it, whisking continuously, until it browns to the color of hazelnuts, about 5 minutes. Whisk the butter into the egg mixture.

Fan out each sliced half of the pear in the shell from the center to the edge, like the spokes of a wheel. Pour the brown butter filling into the shell around the fruit, taking care to follow the fruit's contours and not to cover it completely. Bake the tart for about 1 hour, until the filling has set and the edges of the crust are golden. Let the tart cool to room temperature.

Tart Dough
2 c. flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg yolk

Combine the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter until it forms a meal. Then add the vanilla and yolk and blend until it comes together as a dough. Press into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

Caramel Sauce
1 1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. light corn syrup
1/4 c. butter
3/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. cognac
1 tsp. vanilla

Blend the brown sugar, corn syrup and butter and 1/4 c. cream together in a medium sauce pan. Cook until mixture reaches a boil. Boil about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the remaining cream very slowly, stirring constantly. Then add the cognac and vanilla.